Roles matter

When you write your lines
I become a reader
You bring them to life
With your tunes
Humming in the air,
I become a listener.

You sing to me stories
Of successes and failures
Of families and histories
Of joys and woes,
Your world of words
Makes me a follower.

For all these roles I play
I'm indebted to you everyday
I can read, listen, follow
Other words, high and low,
Now I'm able to catch and receive
Stories of diverse thoughts and beliefs.

I can also write and sing my lines
This role liberates me from any bondage
Thousands of untouched, untold lives
Unfold on my patient, moving page.