“The Concert of Cerridwen’s Joy”

The Concert of Cerridwen’s Joy

I enter the concert hall

          with my saxophone

case and

          find myself

surrounded

          by

legit musicians

Cerridwen beams, hands me

          a score

and cues the beginning

          keeping time

yet leaving room

          for interpretation.

          encircled by

leaping and frolicking phrases

          I feel the vibrations

reach my secret self

            and join in

tasting every note

          sometimes

the notes are provided

          or not…

I improv through

          these empty spaces

in my score

          as the song unfolds

I am surprised

          to hear

a doumbek

an mbira

a bodhrán

a shakuhachi

          all the instruments

of the world

          woven together

with my

          saxophone

in this concert

of Cerridwen’s joy

-Tara L. Carnes

*Ceridwen is regarded as the Celtic goddess of rebirth, transformation, and inspiration.

Poem first published in SageWoman Magazine, Issue 93, June 2018.