The dance recital featured girls
From 3 to high school age,
With choreography and costumes
Lighting up the stage.
Our grandchild in the hip hop group
Is old enough to know
The full routine with all the steps,
Her confidence a’glow.
The youngest dancers, oh, so cute,
Came out not quite prepared.
Should they be twirling? Maybe not,
But no one really cared.
Except for one who stood transfixed,
Like staring at a wall.
I couldn’t tell, but maybe
She was crying through it all.
I wondered how her parents felt
But I could surely guess,
Since oftentimes what we expect
Instead, is slightly less.
Recital / free verse / Pride
Expectation rushes in
As her silent walk begins
All eyes staring
Watching for a hint of emotion
But none revealed
As she takes her place among the muses
No one breathes as her studious eyes
Examine the two-dimensional codes
Then silence breaks
As both hands spring into fantastical dance
On an ever changing ivory and ebony stage
Mellifluous tones, conspicuously full and rich,
Transport all on an uplifting emotional journey
Ears, minds, hearts and lungs
Feasting on delicious pabulum of spirit
Soon tortuous movements diminish
The fantastical dance declines
With final notes
Striking harmonious chords
Deep into our psyche
Our ethereal journey ends
And we gently land where we began
She pauses, then rises
To a cacophony of applause
All eyes staring
Watching for a hint of emotion as she exits
But none revealed
Save a quick glance & brief smile
Acknowledging her proud parent's pounding hearts
Misting eyes and beaming faces
Recital / tanka / Pride
smooth operator
flawless rhapsody in blue
climax conclusion
cacophony of applause
with proud parents’ pounding hearts
Friends fidget, as do fellow musicians
throughout the auditorium anticipating
their moment in the sun.
To be truthful, they all wish it were done.
Notably nervous, nauseous,
She approaches the bench.
Notes are committed to memory, but...
just in case, she places a copy
on the piano.
Mom's seated down front
with grandma both beaming with delight.
One wipes her forehead;
one makes the sign of the cross.
Dad's in the balcony front row
with her wiggly brother and giggly step-sister.
Smiling, grinning, they want to wave;
Dad's look lets them know better.
Focused now, she begins her
original composition - Sonlight Sonata.
For five minutes of sheer delight,
she leaves anxiety with the audience.
The youngest dancers twirled or stood,
Adorable but clueless,
While veterans did all they could
To dazzle, mostly shoeless.
The costumes sparkled in the lights,
With ballerinas prancing
While hip hop outfits, blacks and brights,
The lyrics were enhancing.
The audience, both thrilled and loud,
Cheered every presentation
And as the dancers shyly bowed,
All shared in their elation.
My grandchild was amazing!
With her flowers, proudly beaming,
She soaked up all our praising,
To be summoned in her dreaming.
The dance recital showcased
Hip-hop, jazz and yes, ballet.
The costumes and the music
Put much talent on display.
From pre-schoolers up to college,
All their hard work guaranteed
That they’d entertain us beautifully
And they sure did, indeed.
We were focused on our grandchild
And she nailed her every move,
Smiling ear to ear as we were
Watching her get in the groove.
For my first time in the theater
Since we first felt Covid’s bite,
I was thrilled with this production,
Such an absolute delight.
Have you ever fallen
Yet you haven't fell
Have you ever screamed
Yet you can't help
Have you done
And your fellow Christians tell you YOU ARE NOT SAVED
Maybe you're not denominationally SAVED
What does THE BIBLE say?
Speak it Receive it Believe
SALVATIONS REPENTANCE RECITAL VERSE
What is your thought on this
Are you a witness?
1/18/22
Written words by James Edward Lee Sr © 2022
I shall never ever forget
The alto who sang at the Met
The orchestra was so off-beat
Embarrassed, she stared at her feet
A singer's heartbreaking regret.
Her aria was polished, sure,
Practically, there was no cure
In despair she collapsed and cried
The orchestra leader denied
But, he had mangled up the score.
September 5, 2021
Cherubic face focused intently on her task
Nervous tongue flicking across dry lips
Her tiny hands leaping across the keys
While her feet dangled above the pedals.
Her tulle-faced dress meticulously sewn
Bright patent leather-strapped shiny sandals
Pink socks with white lace carefully folded over
Long blonde braids secured with small satin bows.
The ornamental piece was flawlessly performed
Obligatory bow taken, quickly she dashed away
Embarrassed, it seemed, to have the attention
My six-year-old granddaughter’s first recital.
hardworking laidback
insouciant two timing boss
eases his schedule
from a rice paper lily, a glass frog recites a poem
Grass is always greener at yonder site,
Yet the jealous pangs gain might!
Bowl full of spite,Burns insides!
Septic reaches heart, mind loses insight,
Mouth turns foul, starts the disparage recites!
6/14/2018
Expectation rushes in
as her silent walk begins
All eyes staring,
watching for a hint of emotion,
but none revealed
as she takes her place among the muses
No one breathes as her studious eyes
examine the two-dimensional codes ...
Then silence breaks
as both hands spring into fantastical dance
on an ever-changing ivory and ebony stage
Mellifluous tones, conspicuously full and rich,
transport all on an uplifting emotional journey
Ears, minds, hearts, and lungs
feasting on delicious pabulum of spirit
Soon tortuous movements diminish
and fantastical dance declines ...
With final notes
striking harmonious chords
deep into our psyche,
our ethereal journey ends
as we gently land where we began
She pauses, then rises
to a cacophony of applause
All eyes staring,
watching for a hint of emotion as she exits,
but none revealed
save a quick glance and brief smile,
acknowledging her proud parents' pounding hearts
misting eyes and beaming faces
glass eyes mesmerized
child serenades voice dancing
captive audience
Jack Frost on his toes
fairies dressed in white tutus
snowflake pirouettes
monorhymed quintet
Aunty Karen, what is this?
A guitar, my little miss,
this is how you play, sweet sis.
Her music makes both dogs hiss;
but to Ella, it is bliss.
written 30 March 2016
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