The Piano Dragon
Letting My Imagination Out to Play
As a thought experiment, I once asked myself a very serious question.
If I could have a secret superhero life, who or what would I be?
My answer is an entity I am calling the Piano Dragon. He is a piano-playing ninja who sneaks out into the night to fight criminals only to return in the mornings to play nocturnes on his piano, cuddle with is cat, devour sushi, and take long, blissful naps.
It’s not a bad life.
Ever since I was a kid, I have loved ninjas. They are silent, impossibly swift, graceful, and practically invisible—the unseen avengers and assassins of the night.
Yes, these are the thoughts that dance around in my head. I concede that all of this may sound silly and childish, but really, what exactly is wrong with being silly and childish occasionally?
What good is having an imagination if you do not allow yourself to swim into the deep end if it feels okay?
For example, what alternate superhero life would you lead?
Maybe a cunning mermaid who rescues fellow sea creatures from fishing nets and oil spills?
Or perhaps a master chef who hunts for nefarious hedge fund managers and climate-killing oil barons and feeds their flesh to the rude, pretentious, and blissfully unaware guests at the Mar-A-Lago Club in Palm Beach, FL?
Or maybe you are an international aid worker who can become invisible and sneak food to Palestinians in Gaza?
The imagination can be as vast and sparkling as the universe.
For better or worse, my imagination has given birth to the Piano Dragon. I have featured sketches of this alter-ego in this post. He is constantly scowling for reasons I have yet to discover, and naturally, he always wears his ninja outfit.
His ninja fighting skills are integrated into daily activities so that he is constantly refining his technique . . .
He spends quiet time outside in the peaceful garden that he has cultivated.
In the privacy of his home, the shields come off, and he takes the time to play.
The fact that sketches of this character already exist might mean I have way too much free time.
These days, I make every effort to stay away from my cell phone and all of its temptations. When I am bored, daydreaming is my default activity, and what comes out of it are ideas for songs, films, food and snacks, and occasionally, ninjas. Boredom, walking by myself, and long drives in my car seem to be portals into these whimsical and delicious places.
I do not know how long I may pursue this Piano Dragon story line, but it sure is fun.
Ultimately, as long as I enjoy it, that is all that matters.
Upcoming Shows: July 21, 2024 at DrkMttr Collective (Nashville, TN)
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You can hear my new song, Vampire, on every major streaming platform, including Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, and Tidal.
Give it a listen, share it, and add it to a playlist if you want. Search for Roqué Marcelo or visit any of the following links:
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I spent some time out on our creek over the last few days. It is a small tributary that feeds water into the larger Wilmouth Creek and gathers any overflow trickling down from the miniature mountain that towers behind our house. (It’s called Short Mountain for a reason. I guess it’s more like a tall hill.) I really love our creek. It’s almost completely shaded by trees and provides a lovely refuge from stifling summer heat. I often stand in it for a few minutes to cool my feet. It is one of my happy places where I live.
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