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Poem of the Week - 'I am Lifting the Piano with One Hand' by Gaia Holmes

I am Lifting the Piano with One Hand

I am holding it effortlessly steady
like a graceful waitress balancing a tray
of quail's eggs and salmon soufflé
on her horizontal palm.

I am dexterously carrying it up three flights of stairs
without stubbing my toes or splitting my fingernails,
without chipping paint off the door frames
or denting the soft plaster of the walls.

I am lifting the piano with one hand.
I have not eaten spinach, mineral supplements,
muscle powder or Weetabix.
Today I am just unusually strong
and able to carry the piano up three flights of stairs
where I'll leave the skylight window open
and a note inviting any passing ghosts 
to come in, sit down and play 'Moonlight Sonata'
or 'Chopin's Nocturne' or 'The Entertainer'
or whatever they'd like to play on a neglected piano
in the house of a strong woman.

In celebration of International Women's Day today, here is the brilliant, strange, and empowering titular poem from Gaia Holmes' collection Lifting the Piano with One Hand. Holmes writes with wit and precision, hopefully inspiring us all to feel 'unusually strong and able to carry the piano up three flights of stairs'.

Lifting the Piano with One Hand is available on our website. 

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