So, I took the FunderVan to the car wash today. And, as I often do, when I’m alone in transit, I tuned in to the local classical music station. And I heard violins of hope. No, that’s not the name of a quirky quartet of stringed instrument musicians.
And the station didn’t even introduce any violins of hope.
The audial image just came up in me as I listened. And the image was like what you might see in a 19th-century optical toy consisting of a cylinder and a series of pictures on the inner surface. That’s called a zoetrope. And when you watch the pictures through slits with the cylinder rotating, you get the feeling of continuous motion.
That’s what the violin section, of that particular orchestra, and that particular piece of music, did for my audial vision. Now, I realize you might not appreciate the inner workings of someone’s mind that’ll come up with a zoetrope and violins of hope just because strings played certain combinations of musical notes.
But that’s the kind of stuff my mind does. And on that note (I know you see what did there), here’s a rhyme I wrote a couple of years ago. It was inspired by something visual instead of music notes. Somebody, on social media, shared a picture of the inside of a violin. I saw it and wrote…
The Violin
Maple and Spruce and Ebony
Make their way to the symphony.
And intestinal fortitude,
From overture to interlude,
Exude from deep within the space
Beneath a pensive, focused face.
A Pernambuco arrow glides,
And firmly wound white horse hair slides
Across fine-tuned Pirazzi strings.
Divine, inspired, a high voice sings,
Revealing Heaven from within
The soul inside the violin.
© 2022
Of course, the soul of a violin is metaphorical. And the little stringed instrument can make no sounds without the musician.
And that, naturally, reminds me of how the musician could make no sounds without the Maker of musicians. Because ultimately there can be NO sound, heavenly, musical, or otherwise, without the Creator of sound and music.
So, here’s the thing. God does exist. And He can be found (figuratively, not literally) even inside the inner workings of a violin. If you’re willing to open the eyes of your understanding. I hope you do.
Also, join the growing body of believers who signed up for the FunderFlash Journal, if you haven’t already. And I’ll send you good stuff so you can focus on faith, hope, and love with me.
Stay tuned…
