A 'Harper's Manifesto?

I play autoharp,

say, autoharp

is my "thing"!

And lo and behold!

Heavenly gold

sounds I ring.

And gently I stroke,

never I broke

e'er a string.

And sometimes I get loud! (a little bit, at least ...)

I like it

to strike the

right chords some time

up and down

and let 'em chime.

But mellowy

melodies

softly played

appear still most sublime!

Oh, and isn't it sweet

when I succeed,

hit the right string,

get at the chord,

together them ring?!

But those fast fiddle tunes

are riddles soon,

boggling the mind:

I like the slower kind!

Ah, lo and behold!

Heavenly gold

sounds I ring,

when gently I stroke,

never I broke

e'er a string.

I play autoharp,

say, autoharp

is my "thing".

Of this I'm surely proud! (a little bit, at least ...)

Siegfried Knöpfler, August 2001