A Poem-A-Day Celebration

Poem submission by Megan Cordero

I curl my feet up

Bone by bone

Until I’ve risen

To my toes

Ankles tight

Calves and thighs

Pressed together

Bottom in

Lift my chest

Shoulders down

Arms curved up

Fingers reaching

To the sky

And I’m floating

Light as air

Bourrée

Piqué

Port de bras

Floating through the clouds

Leaping

And I’m in

Another world

Gliding through the atmosphere

Escaping orbit

Breathing in

Pirouette

Fouette

Turn again

And I’m spinning

Miles away

Arms reach and pull

Back and forth

Torque increasing

And I’m flying

I feel the sun

My hair whips round

My pulse grows quicker

Losing every minute

Glissade

Arabesque

Throwing caution to the wind

Ripping through the stars

Grand jeté

Another lift

Further from the earth

And I’m gone

Somewhere distant

No one can touch me here.

I’m free.

The music stops

Plié

Finish

And I’m back on solid ground

No applause

My toes are bleeding

No tears or remorse

Just re-tape

Stand up straight

And press play again.