Oud

you tell me you’re not really into oud
when i have dedicated my life to mastery of us
it takes discipline, i say
they tried to call it theirs,
but it is part of my body.
the oud cannot give you anything unless
you give of yourself
you give and you spend time
and you hold it
you have to hold it well
for it to share its secrets.
 
nobody likes to remember the death
that walked the streets with us,
we never stop playing, as though if we do, we will forget.
we never stop playing, maybe it means we have lost.