My hands

Small with stubby fingers that never grown into graceful long, tapered fingers no matter how much I wish them to be.

Fingers that are never long enough to play an octave.

Fingers that hated the piano since it learnt that the price of not playing well is a sharp rap on the knuckles.

Fingers that stumbled clumsily along the white keys and froze with panic during examinations.

Fingers that yearn to play beautiful music, music that could lift the soul and put a smile on the lips.

but they never could, despite the years of training, money, energy and tears spent. and so, those fingers hid away in shame. never to touch the white keys anymore. fingers that forgot what a staccato feels like. difference between a minor and major? to play a thrill?

going for BBC Proms. I can at least hear beautiful music, if I can't play it. :)