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The ink is dry upon the main,A steady march of sun and rain.But hovering above the staff,Is the shadow of a different path.

An "ossia" is the road not taken—until it is. It represents a composer’s second thought, a lighter touch, or a more complex flourish that exists alongside the original. ossia_s05_0061_l.jpg

If the first is stone and steady beat,The second is dust beneath the feet.You choose the pulse, you choose the play,In the quiet space where the "or" may stay. The ink is dry upon the main,A steady march of sun and rain

A lighter leap, a swifter run,A melody that’s just begun.It doesn’t replace what went before,It simply opens one more door. a lighter touch