The Ballerina

The Ballerina A little girl no more than three or four She spends her day listening to the music from her mother’s radio She dances a beautiful dance for her age Even the clopping of her feet is magical Yet, she will not allow anyone to watch Stopping the moment she feels eyes upon her Years go by and the little girl never gives up her dancing Schools and practice are a daily routine The rest of her life is a mere dream own by her talent Sore ankles, swollen knees and bloody toes are her curse Yet, she never gives up the dance She dances in untold choruses with a thousand other girls An unknown she dances every night in one show and every day in another Years of practice grow and strain in every muscle she uses Audiences applaud every performance but it is not for her, never for her Yet, she never gives up the dance One night she is called to be the central character of the show Her dance is flawless in its technique As graceful as the swan she portrays she glides through every moment This one night is the fulfillment of a life of dreaming and work All the classes, the pain of strained muscles and the blood-filled shoes fade away The audience…they are not there She doesn’t care that no one knows her name Fame is something she had not desired since she heard her mother’s radio At that minute the music and the dance are the only things she knows And all of her life has led to the moment So many years of her life she strived for this She still does it just for the dance