The doorbell rings.
The children sing.
The adults sing, too, but only halfheartedly
with busy hands full of scarves and lonely single mittens…
and busy heads full of lists and anxious “what if”s rather than words
to a time-worn carol.
As always, there are somehow too many sopranos.
How are there always too many sopranos?
The director shakes his inner head and keeps his hand moving in two
beatlift beatlift
his other hand making the soft stop sign as a plea
less on top please, please.
Miracle, then, as alto harmonies mingle again.
oh how ha-a-ppy a-are their tones
Lies! The director knows that tones are NOT happy
when they are strangled, flat, through the cold, pubescent larynx.
beatlift beatlift
The voices strain to break free of the prison of his hands
rushing, pushing, gaining momentum
and oh for the love of pete pitch
PITCH!
Stronger hand.
BEATlift BEATlift
BEAT that beat into submission.
And then, blessedly, the final line:
beat Ding
cross Dong
cross Ding
beat Donggggg
hold breath and pause, invite the bass line in…
BEAT BONGGGGG
Then, full stop like Victor Borge, and
sigh
it’s done.
He looks at the faces in front of him
so red with cold
so alive with focus,
finally,
and eyes
expectantly awaiting judgement.
He cannot help the smile
that spreads inside him and stealthily transforms his own focused face.
And the snow begins to fall.
——————————-
This creative (read: free-form, not-quite-poetry, I-don’t-even-know-how-to-categorize-this) fiction piece was brought to you by Red Writing Hood at Write on Edge. The prompt requested a 300-words-or-fewer piece beginning with the line “the doorbell rang,” and ending with the line “the snow began to fall.” I took license with the verb tenses in my version so I could keep the voice consistent, I’m hoping no-one minds.
P.S.: I’m a soprano, but have always noticed that there seem to be too many of us, or we just sing too loud in our diva-ness, or that the higher frequencies just carry better… my great respect goes out to those unsung (hahahah) alto heroes of the world.
I'm Not Writing A Novel 
December 9, 2011 at 2:05 pm
I really enjoyed this! Especially– “The voices strain to break free of the prison of his hands”. I’ve sung in many choirs and know that feeling! And, as an alto, I say YES! There are always too many sopranos!!
December 14, 2011 at 2:56 pm
I was hoping other singers would really get it, as it seems you did. Thanks for the visit and the kind comment!!
December 9, 2011 at 2:07 pm
Lovely and funny. Thank you. There ARE always too many sopranos, aren’t there? Really, this was great fun with just the right hint of bittersweet. And the way you presented it, line by line, really carried it along like a tune. Well done.
December 14, 2011 at 2:57 pm
Thanks for the kind comment! I really wish that I wrote it with more intention and planning, I’d feel better about taking credit for the lyrical-ness.
December 9, 2011 at 2:55 pm
This was really fun to read. It was lyrical and light and made me smile. 🙂
December 14, 2011 at 2:58 pm
Thanks Kristina! I guess with my mind in a music context, it was inevitable for the words to sing a bit. 🙂
December 9, 2011 at 3:06 pm
I really enjoyed this, at first I wasn’t sure….was it parents listening to children sing…then no, it was definitely a musical play and finally dawning awareness, ahhh… a chorus.
You put it together beautifully. Very creative.
December 14, 2011 at 2:58 pm
Thanks Jodi, I’m so glad you stopped by!
December 9, 2011 at 3:55 pm
Very musical and I love how you did a poem!
December 14, 2011 at 2:59 pm
Thanks Jennifer! In some ways I just feel lazy for not having written a more traditional narrative.. it’s almost like cheating to free-form. But, since people seem to like it, I won’t beat myself up too much. 🙂 Glad you enjoyed it!
December 9, 2011 at 4:08 pm
I went caroling once, and felt completely stressed out about the whole ordeal. I thought it was me! Your post is cracking me up.
Also, I like your description after the piece: “not-quite-poetry.” This was something I was thinking throughout my reading. It is poetry-like, though. It has a rhythm that mimics the singing of the carolers. It definitely (for me) leans more toward poetry than prose.
December 14, 2011 at 3:01 pm
Hi Nicole, thanks so much for visiting! Isn’t it funny? Caroling seems to stress a lot of people out, even those watching… (do I give money? would that be insulting somehow? what about hot cocoa — but I don’t have enough mugs! etc.)
December 9, 2011 at 4:26 pm
“..and eyes
expectantly awaiting judgement.
He cannot help the smile
that spreads inside him and stealthily transforms his own focused face.
And the snow begins to fall.”
This is perfect! I can see those kids, looking for a sign that they have done well, and the director being won over by their eagerness! The snow at the ending is the final magical touch on this wonderful piece! Well done!
December 14, 2011 at 3:04 pm
Thanks Valerie! This was inspired by my choral conductor when I was in high school. He often didn’t smile (if we did poorly)… but every once in a while he just couldn’t help himself. And unfortunately, where I lived we didn’t have snow. So being able to write to the prompt and add the snow at the end allowed me to put a magical spin on my less magical memories. 😉
December 9, 2011 at 4:40 pm
I really enjoyed this. Great images.
Since my voice decided to switch to alto from soprano recently, I’m no longer guilty.
December 14, 2011 at 3:04 pm
Hahaha, thanks Lori! My soprano isn’t quite what it used to be, either!
December 9, 2011 at 6:20 pm
I likey your not-sure-how-tocharacterize- piece. I also have always wondered why no one wants to be an alto?
http://www.alotoflayers.blogspot.com
December 14, 2011 at 3:06 pm
Oh man… I would have LOVED to be an alto. In my high-school choir we actually had truly awesome altos. I called them “altos who eat red meat” because their voices were so rich and strong. I don’t know. I have this sneaking suspicion that altos actually have more fun. Like they’re the redheads of singing… and sopranos are the blondes. Hahahaha.
December 9, 2011 at 8:33 pm
I don’t know very much about the different types of voices, aside from the fact that no one wants to hear mine except my kids who are forced to in the car 😉
You can call it what you like, but I enjoyed reading this; I really liked the way it flowed, and I think the rhythm fit well with the subject matter.
December 14, 2011 at 3:07 pm
Thanks Angela! I’m glad you enjoyed it. Isn’t it great that our kids get to be our captive audiences???
December 10, 2011 at 10:30 am
As an unsung alto hero, I agree about the top heavy sopranos… wait. That came out wrong… Anyway, I love the inner monologue of the choir director, having been one myself, I understand the cranky affection.
December 14, 2011 at 3:08 pm
HA! Well, I definitely knew some “top-heavy” sopranos for sure. 😉 Yes, directing is such a challenge, isn’t it? I haven’t done so myself, I’ve only ever been a singer… but this is what I’ve always imagined was going on in my high-school director’s mind.