A POEM BY R. STEPHEN
Taking a last sip of his martini,
the performer loosens his bow tie
before resting the empty glass
on a nearby poseur table
a distant clock tower chimes
welcoming a new day
a few remaining oil burners
bring a faint glow to the ballroom.
In the centre of the room
stands a solitary Bechstein piano
its black polished surface
softens the surrounding air
chrome feet stand on the white marble floor
as a figure skater stands on a frozen glass lake.
Footsteps echo across the gilded floor
as the man approaches his old companion.
He kneels to the cold stage floor
as his hands crawl beneath the piano.
The man rests, lying on his side
with his hands clasped beneath his head.
Eyes closed, he whispers goodnight
to his eighty eight ivory and ebony companions.
About This Poem
When the Room Empties: 88 Ivory and Ebony Voices
This poem explores the idea that companionship can be found in places far beyond people. In a quiet ballroom at the edge of night, a performer drifts toward the one constant presence in his life: a Bechstein piano that has carried his voice, his craft and his solitude. The scene moves from performance to intimacy as he settles beside the instrument, treating its eighty eight keys not as objects but as trusted companions.
At its heart, the poem reflects how connection can form with anything that anchors us. A piano becomes a confidant, a stage becomes a sanctuary, and a moment of stillness becomes a quiet reminder that companionship often arrives in unexpected forms.
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