The Swan

Here's a poem I wrote expressing a little of the frustration I feel at being a musician and facing the occasional blatant condescending rejection as I struggle to "put myself out there". Interestingly enough, often it seems that this turning-up-of-the-nose comes from (older) accomplished musicians, teachers, or judges...

The Swan

When
I am no longer afraid
Then shall I run.

When fear has finally left me
Then the time shall come
That I will look
And not desire inside
To cast my eyes down,
To hide.

Look! You see,
The greatness is inside me
Already
Waiting to be free
But there are walls that still enclose
The most beautiful part of me.

But --
When these walls finally fall
(It is not a matter of if...but when)
Then
All the people who could not see
Will be surprised
And they will ask
From whence I came
Then I will tell them
It has always been the same:
The ugly duckling is not known
By its true name
Until in time it becomes too plain
That the duckling was no duck at all
But a finer creature -
Elegant, and tall,
Sprung from the small, gray bird
That was before them.
Then they'll recall
That they have known me
All along.
And though, through ignorance
They could not see,
The swan, I knew,
Was always me.