Armonica {Hauntingly Beautiful Challenge}

by RainDance

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Music from her twirling glass instrument seems to make the air sparkle, with help from the snow swirling like golden glitter under street lamps. Their orange glow chases away the growing darkness so that it pools and hides in the corners of city streets. Night covers the world like a thick black blanket.
The old woman’s numb fingers stroke the glass, pouring out her soul into the cold winter’s eve. A whisper of wind, perhaps a wind of whispers, blows through broken windows and carries the melody across snowy shingled rooftops.
The grocer’s children run down the street in sweaters from the thrift store. Their laughter fades into silence like ripples on a pond. The notes of the armonica flow smoothly, ceaselessly, a caressing river that weaves itself into the dreams of sleepers. No one can touch the silver crescendo.
But many will listen to the music and toss a coin as they pass from taverns on late night visits to desperate shadows of people. They will love it for a moment as they walk by.
And forget it.

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Comments

Average Reader Rating: 5.0 stars out of 5

  1. Armonica {Hauntingly Beautiful Challenge}

    [pens&feathers]'s Buddy Icon [pens&feathers]

    Posted about 1 month ago

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    Beautiful, indeed. I love the line, ”... a whisper of wind, perhaps a wind of whispers…” Nice job, and thanks for entering. :]

  2. Armonica {Hauntingly Beautiful Challenge}

    Mistress Elsha Hawk's Buddy Icon Mistress Elsha Hawk

    Posted about 1 month ago

    Great imagery in the first two paragraphs! (they were my favorite) I think you’ve made a good point that people often only appreciate beautiful things for a moment and then move on.

  3. Armonica {Hauntingly Beautiful Challenge}

    ALRO613 ♪ LoA ♫'s Buddy Icon ALRO613 ♪ LoA ♫

    Posted about 1 month ago

    I like the fact that what is beautiful here is music! Love it ..

  4. Armonica {Hauntingly Beautiful Challenge}

    Mighty-Joe Young's Buddy Icon Mighty-Joe Young

    Posted about 1 month ago

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    oh snapp this was a chilling descriptive narrative it was almost prose poetry the way it just poe-ed i am stoked.my lord shiva bobble head gives it six thumbs up. i give it five stars

  5. Armonica {Hauntingly Beautiful Challenge}

    Ana Cristina's Buddy Icon Ana Cristina

    Posted about 1 month ago

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    I love how the passersby are so into the music when they walk past it, but so eager to forget it once it’s behind them. Is the armonica an instrument of your own invention or does it actually exist? One last question – is it meant to be like a harmonica?

  6. Armonica {Hauntingly Beautiful Challenge}

    RainDance's Buddy Icon RainDance

    Posted about 1 month ago

    Terrific question. The glass armonica is a real instrument invented by Benjamin Franklin. It is also known as a glass harmonica or simply an armonica. It’s made out of glass or crystal bowls, each slightly smaller than the next. They have some nice clips of people playing on youtube and
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glass_harmonica
    also has a nice sample of music under the “Names” section.
    Not many people play it but both Mozart and Beethoven composed music for it when it was popular.

  7. Armonica {Hauntingly Beautiful Challenge}

    RainDance's Buddy Icon RainDance

    Posted about 1 month ago

    @ Trafalmadorian: YAYY . I’m so happy you picked up on this, I actually did write it as a poem before I did some editing and submitted it for this contest.

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