Jim Slaughter Poet Rhyme

Prima Ballerina

Pale limbs, vestigial breasts, long, slender alabaster neck,
In classic first position she stands alone in the spotlight,
Center stage, accepting her last applause.
It's tumultuous tonight, but midst cheers and bravas
She's certain she heard some guffaws.
Statuesque and sublime, she reflects that it's time
To quit the glittering world of ballet.
No longer breathtaking "Cracking Nuts" or "Swanlaking",
She can't pirouette, arabesque, or plier,
And gets no elevation when she tries to jeter.
She's danced with the best, and loved more than a few.
They'll enshrine all her tutus and her best toe shoes, too.
So adieu to the realm of the dancing elite,
She's known the thrill of victory and the agony of the feet.
She'll open an academy in the southern part of France
And teach a whole new generation of future stars to dance.
And one day, when she's all alone,
She may write about the life she's known
When she was queen of her arena
And reigned as Prima Ballerina.

Author's note: A professional dancer's career endures for only 15-20 years, in most cases. Unbeknownst to many people, dancing, like some sports, takes an enormous toll on the human body. So I applaud these artists for their strength, and courage, and stamina so that the rest of us mere mortals can enjoy the grace and beauty they give to the world through their dedication and sacrifice. This is also for Cherry, a friend and sometimes teacher.

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Andrea Dietrich July 19, 2023 at 9:08 PM so very true and so beautifully described. My dance teacher was from France and always pronounded my name with an accent. Too bad I did not have enough flexibility to do more with it. Jim Slaughter July 20, 2023 at 10:16 AM Thanks, Andrea. Yes, the flexibility issue was one of my problems, as well.

Ilene Bauer July 18, 2023 at 12:17 PM You’ve expressed this very beautifully, Jim! I can’t relate to all the hours and agony inflicted on a dancer’s body over the years, which the audience rarely thinks about… Jim Slaughter July 18, 2023 at 1:20 PM Maybe not, Ilene, but if you enjoy their efforts, it's worth it to them.

Sam Kauffman July 18, 2023 at 10:30 AM Pensive beauty Jim. Having danced for twelve years as a child and as an adult, I really resonate with the range of emotions you spread before us. Love "agony of the feet!" For me, the soul of the dancer still longs to dance even if the body can no longer do what it once did. You have captured that ambivalence wonderfully and showed how to remain in the world of dance. Thankfully it does have options! Thank you for sharing this tribute. I, too, applaud these artists of grace. Blessings Jim Slaughter July 18, 2023 at 10:37 AM Thank you, Sam. For a while in college I was a member of a troupe called "The Cherry Jones Dancers". I was never very good, but she needed the extra "guy" to help out with the lifting, etc. It was great fun, at any rate.