Nerves
Rushing and tingling through my body
Standing on the edge ready to jump

Deep breath
I’m a balloon expanding with air
I’m light as a feather
Tethered to the ground
My feet and legs are grounded
My head is floating

Chin up and shoulders back
Briefly closing my eyes
Feel the tension of expectation
Relax, as though slipping into a warm bath

The air gains pressure,
Waiting to burst free
Let it go
Flowing as effortlessly as a breeze
With the energy to become a storm

I expose my soul
Releasing unbridled emotions
Love struck, Heartbroken, Forgotten
I feel and express it all
On my voice flows pure emotion

The end is near
The last remnants of air escape from my lungs
They linger in the room,
Unobtrusively fading to silence

The strings of this marionette are cut
I return to reality
The walls once more conceal my soul
A bittersweet longing to go back
As a single tear rolls down my face,
I smile--a soft, secret smile