Instrument of Choice

She was a girl

no one ever chose

for teams or clubs,

dances or dates,

so she chose the instrument

no one else wanted:

the tuba. Big as herself,

heavy as her heart,

its golden tubes

and coils encircled her

like a lover’s embrace.

Its body pressed on hers.

Into its mouthpiece she blew

life, its deep-throated

oompahs, oompahs sounding,

almost, like mating cries.