Practice

Wrists
my wrists hurt
Fingers
my fingers feel like they're going to bleed
The strings dig into my skin
the sound pierces my ears
I've been practicing for three hours
and it feels like it's been years
but it's still not in tune
I still miss the shift
the rhythm just isn't right
You say it sounds great
but all I can hear
is the critic in my head
saying that I skipped a rest
that my bow is shaky
that every single note is flat
that I shouldn't be where I am
that I don't deserve the chance
that I'll never get it right
because I never do.