Painful Notes

He held that guitar perfectly tuned
To the notes of the piano matched
Tape ready to capture the notes
That were about to be played

Strums a few chords to warm up
Fingers sore from open cracks
Of hand, honest days work
Still wouldn’t complain
Could read it written across his face

Give me the look and nods
Press record down as it hits
Hard are those notes as they
Travel that wire straight
Deep into the stereo out speakers

Emotions not shown before
Come raw through the house
As those speakers say whats
Been locked away these long
Lonely unforgiving years

The blues compared to this
Are a happy uplifting melody
As the notes cut through everything
That words could not properly say
Father to son music does come one

The notes never to be played
After that day lost to history
Tape remains hidden memory captured
As that guitar remains unplayed
Since that connected night

The body now gone as the notes
They live on to serve lessons
Emotions expressed more clearly
Than words ever could do
I still hear these painful notes

These notes are for you, dad!