Beauty

Lana Norris

why i stay
at the bench
is beyond me

The Science

In my life as a professional pianist, the bench is a place of mystery. In practice, I fail more than I succeed. This condition isn’t unique to the pianist – the scientist at their bench can claim it, too. What entices us to endure constant failure for uncertain reward? When I glimpse an elegant solution or ideal expression, microscopic hues or combination tones, there is something that awakens curiosity. Something aesthetic beckons.

The Poet

Lana Norris is a choral pianist, music journalist, and the Hudspeth Lab administrator at Rockefeller University. She is based in New York City, Munsee Lenape and Wappinge territory.

Next poem: Chocolate by Martin Zarrop