If Only (I Had Practiced My Guitar and Singing)

Photo by Haley Powers

If only I had practiced my beloved guitar,

After learning the cords, I coulda been a big star.

But I would only strum, 

Making up songs with a hum. 

When the mood hit every now and then.

My voice was not very bold,

But had a wide range, I was told,

Yet my singing lessons were ignored,

My voice coach’s words were, instead, stored,

In the back of my mind like sun on a cold cloudy day

But not ready for the grind,

Of reaching octaves, trying to find 

The arias with a very strong pitch

Of high notes, what a bitch,

Even though it could have come naturally.

But now I look back and wish I’d persisted,

With practicing my music, instead, I resisted

My time to be spent on practice each day,

  Finding too many reasons for a delay,

And now I’m filled with regret,

Of doing things that would have helped me be proud

If standing out wooing a great big crowd,

But today I dare not consider, 

That if I practiced hard now, I’d be better,

Since I threw that precious time away.

Photo by Debby Ledet

And so, I decided, to put pencil to paper,

Plot out a plotline about a big caper,

That would set a fast pace,

For the reader to race

To the end to see whodunit.

I liked the idea and wanted to give it a try,

‘Cause, I thought that maybe people would buy,

The stories that I would write,

About suspense, fright and flight

That might give their insides a quiver.

Writing is such a subjective thing,

Laughter, sorrow, or fear it can bring.

But I’ve always loved words for putting together,

In a meaningful way and judging if whether

The combination worked or would cause groans.

I’d passed up the chance, 

For being good at music and dance

But regrets shouldn’t be part of a life,

Or thoughts about any of the strife

Which goes hand in hand with learning.

For maybe I was not meant to become a guitarist,

A singer or have other careers on my list,

And do things famous people do

But soon begin to wonder who,

They really, truly are.

I think I will just strive to be,

The person inside wanting to be set free,

To promote my own self-expressions

And sharing some true confessions

That makes a reader wonder if they’re really real.

My one final thought for you

Is: to yourself always be true

And when you go after your heart’s desire

Let things evolve and transpire,

Into the wonder that you envision 

And work your ass off so it will be,

Exactly what you choose to see.

Photo by Samuel Clara