By: Phoebe Shi

The first violin, the leader, the star,

Creating the most beautiful melodies to be heard from afar.

Quick, calculated, controlled sparks of song,

The prized leader’s melody must stand strong.

The second violin, there to assist, to aid,

A melodic echo, refusing to fade.

Long, full harmonies, though they rarely stray

from the high, treble range in which they always play.

The viola, always the unknown, the concealed,

They stay in the shadows until they’re finally revealed

as the bridge, connecting the highs and lows,

Mellow, rich, and natural, like the scarlet rose.

Finally, the cello, the backbone, the deep,

The hushed foundation, they ooze and seep

into the music, with their melancholy phrases and measures,

Both alluring and harsh, performing the music’s desolate pleasures.

One must always remember to keep in mind,

It is not the wood, the bow, or the varnish used to bind,

Nor the metallic strings or the tuning pegs that produces the sound.

No, it’s the musician, the skill and practice, that must be crowned.