Cue the curtain
sound the song
she takes the stage
unwavering, headstrong
all of her soul
on this unabashed floor
knows every step
each after and before
but the crowd is antsy
and the white noise is hovering
and the hand of the man working the spotlight
shakes unsteady as he
texts his girlfriend
the camera man yawns
and the little boy sitting next to me
tugs his moms sleeve
for a snack
the dancer on stage
prevails
this is her world
all she knows
is the arch in her back
as she
makes love to the floor
sweeps of ribbon and silk
caressing
the fold of her body
to the riff of the ballad
she is one
she is all
she is shining
her body tells a story
and I watch captivated
with bated breath
entwined in this love story of beauty and suffering
while the camera man yawns
and the guy working the spotlight
used this time
to text his girlfriend