Acoustic Resonance

A discarded steel tuning fork was wedged between two cedar battens high above the boathouse floor. I climbed the diagonal brace to reach the joint and tested its seat. It was lodged firm, dulling its potential. Using both gloved hands, I leveraged the tines clear of the wood. Bracing one boot against the beam, I struck the fork's stem sharply against a structural bolt. The steel vibrated with absolute purity, filling the dim rafters with an unbroken, low pitch that hummed straight through my soles. The vibration held true for twelve seconds before fading into the night.