Dance, Ballerina

 

Dance Ballerina

 

 

                Dance, swirl, breathe—

 

A thousand eyes follow

the splendid, silent movement

of her flexible body, her flow

 

                She closes her eyes

 

The music is within her soul—

she not only hears it in her ears,

but she feels it in her veins

 

Adrenaline rushes through her toes,

her fingertips,

racing toward her heart

as she lifts a foot and arm

Twirling across the stage,

 she flexes and waves

 

                She’s wound up

 

like a ballerina atop a music box

her mother gave her

Graceful and beautiful,

a gift to her audience,

an idea of freeness and light

 

The creak of the floor cries

an anthem to her charm

“A free spirit,” they say,

yet she knows this is her only way

to feel

the beauty of the sound of music,

to quiet her grief,

silence the beast,

giving her time to live

 

                now, within this moment

 

When her body is motionless

images flood her mind

of that night—

 

She was innocent,

naive,

still a child

Now, she’s filled

with shame and guilt

 

             It wasn’t her fault

 

Her dress, a ruffled white lace,

yet she sees herself bare

when the music doesn’t play

 

If she looks, she sees

torn clothing on the ground,

his wounded ego,

her bruised thighs

 

When the music begins each time,

she’s Perfect,

Poised,

Adored

 

                She glides

 

as a pure white swan on mirrored lakes,

                        leaving a trail of elegance and grace

 

  

Sinthia Steel Smith

  

Sinthia Steel Smith is an emerging poet and writer. At an early age, she began writing and used poetry as an outlet to process her grief over injustice and emotional pain. When Sinthia finally realized she has a voice that could help others, she began submitting her work to literary journals and magazines. Aiming to bring light into the hidden things and expose despicable monsters who sometimes live nearer than you think. Her poem "Held Hostage" was published in Unlimited Literature Magazine’s first print issue (2020) and more of her work is forthcoming online and in print. Several of her essays and flash fiction have been chosen as a finalist in numerous contests over the last few years. To help her continue her writing, please support Sinthia on Patreon at www.Patreon.com/SSSmith.