In the woods of Maine sits a Bowl-in-the-Pines,
an outdoor concert hall at NEMC.
Dressed in all white surrounded by friends and family,
we prepare for our first concert.

It suddenly starts to rain
Feeling the adrenalin rush and the need to not get wet,
we all run for cover on the Bowl stage like a herd of cattle.
After a few minutes of downpour, the rain stops
and we race back to find a dry bench.
Feeling rain water
Makes us immediately stand up again.

We all relax at the Bowl-in-the-Pines,
listening to the music of the concert orchestra, concert band, and choir
with the faint sound of Lake Messalonskee like an ocean
lapping at NEMC’s little rocky beach.

As the choir finishes their last song and Mr. Wiggin gets up for the scholarship fund speech,
I prepare to warm-up on my shiny and sweet-sounding flute before going on stage.
Stepping out on stage and seeing the huge crowd
and smelling the woody pine,
I play my first note of the piece with the band.