Show Night

You're jittery, you're glittery, your hair's been sprayed so hard you could crack it with a hammer. You put on your costume, apply just one more layer of mascara, and then...

You wait.

And wait.

And wait.

Song after song after song until you think you'll go crazy. Finally, they call you on deck. You wait in the wings, fidgeting with the sequin on your skirt because you just CAN'T stand still. You crack your toes,  relevé and then come down, half paying attention to the dance going on onstage, half trying to remember what the heck you're supposed to do when you get out there. The lights go down, the audience cheers, and you run onstage.

Then

SNAP!

It's over.

You dash offstage, running frantically past people and trying not to run anyone over.

             "Make a hole!" you yell, stripping off your costume even though you're not even close to the dressing room yet.

You make it to the dressing room, half naked, attempting to find your next costume. "One song change, one song change" repeats over and over in your head. You drop something, put your costume on backwards, lose your shoe. You let out a very creative profanity. You shove a tiara on your head and hop on one foot as you put a shoe on the other. You run on deck just in time and, with no time to breathe, perform another two minute forty-eight second song.

            And somehow-though you're so tired you feel like you're going to puke and you could swear the floor's moving- it's worth it.

            It's worth it because your family is in the audience cheering for you. It's worth it as your best friend hands you your water bottle and gives you a hug even though you're dripping with sweat. It's worth it, because for two minutes and forty-eight seconds,

You lived



(P.S. It's not exactly a poem, but I love it.)

Beauty

Beauty wears a crown of glass;
Pretty, but sharp and mean.
Beauty wears jeweled shoes;
Sparkly, enticing, yet heavy all the same.
Beauty dons her thick fur coat
Only to fall over from its weight.
And when at last Beauty sits on her throne
The legs give way
And on the ground Beauty lays.

for those days we don't feel like trying

Beautiful Girl
Trapped in this crazy old world
You just want to live
You have so much to give
And you are so loved

Sing,
Sing to me now.
Your voice is a beacon
For a world trapped in silence.
Dance
All around
For when you twirl around
Your Father's smiles and says
"You are so loved."

Wonderful child
Tripping over your own feet again
Your beauty and grace
Shine out through your face
When you smile for Him

Sing,
Sing to me now.
Your voice is a beacon
For a world trapped in silence.
Dance
All around
For when you twirl around
Your Father smiles and says
"You are so loved"

Take these hands
Move my feet
God, You are the one I live for.
Make me cry
Give me Your life
Make me all that I can be

Sing,
Sing to me now.
Your voice is a beacon
For a world trapped in silence.
Dance
All around
For when you twirl around
Your Father smiles and says
"You are so loved."

Pointe

Your toes ache,
Your legs shake,
Your arms are numb for hours.
Your blisters pop,
Yet you don't stop
Till victory is yours.

The Dancing Girl

Such potential greatness
In such a small, young child.
It kills me to repress
The memories of your smile.

Sweet little girl
Dance around your room.
Did you ever suspect
The fate to unfurl?

Teenaged wonder,
Gorgeous all around.
Clothed in God's splendor
With beauty to abound.

Sweet young beauty
Dance upon your stage.
Such talent radiating through her
Even at a young age.

Then came that final moment.
I wonder of you knew
How much we all would miss you
When all was done and through.

Sweet little angel
Dance upon the clouds.
Fly away to Jesus
And make your family proud.


In Honor of Corrine Patterson. 1991-2010

Revision of "New Year"

Change, hope, a new beginning,
That is what is promised us.
Change, hope, a new beginning
All fly away and turn to dust.
The promises stay every year,
But our hopes get drowned out
By our fears.
then by October you're back to the start
With a bleeding mind and a drowning heart.

Maybe a song

I lie awake and say a prayer
About all the things I said.
And though I know you always forgive
I wish they were never there.
For as the pretty horses dance
It's useless without you.
And as the mothers rock-a-bye their babies into sleep
I sit and think of all the things your lovely eyes have seen.
For as the stars shine in the sky, in all their majesty,
I couldn't think of a better thing then you in the arms of me.


Later note: This one really stinks. I doesn't mean anything. I'll keep it up here, just know that this one is really really bad.