Photo Credits: Nickolas Muray
Step two three
Step five six
Poise my girl poise
Listen to the rhythm
Feel it in your bones
Step step step…..
My dear you have two feet
Don’t let the right be cajoled by the left
Control my dear control.
On and on it goes
Hour after hour
Ever ready for the next exam
The yearly concert
A living automaton
Responding to the calls
Point, step, sequins abounding
I bow to acclaim
Years ahead of my class
A protégé
My dance lessons
All ten years of them
Success, trophies multiplying
Proud parents boasting
Prouder teacher basking
Miss Marie Claire.
I was theoretically correct
Technically brilliant
But I couldn’t dance.
All creativity expunged from me
I reacted to commands
I knew every call, every position.
I wish I had learned to dance.
Written for: http://mindlovemiserysmenagerie.wordpress.com/2014/12/09/photo-challenge-38-shadow-dancer-december-9-2014/
Morpethroad 
Oh so tragic, and I’m afraid that this is so so possible … as with music lessons and writing lessons etc. drills upon drills until in the end the person is no better than a robot … great write Michael.
Thank you Georgia, stuff like this does happen sadly.
That ending is gut-punching there is something very tragic in this. I am really terrible at learning things I am not personally excited/moved by. So it would be quite hard for me to achieve such a state of technical proficiency without the emotional spiritual aspect I am not even sure I could do it to tell you the truth,
I do understand but it does happen, I am a case in point with the piano.
There were only a few times that I felt I could dance. But those days are gone.
I keep trying to get my hubby to maybe take some dance lessons – but we’ll live without them.
Nicely penned about being pinned.
Thanks so much Jules I appreciate your comment, good one I like it.
Nice visual in your words.
Thanks so much Kim lovely to see you drop by.
You can have all the lessons in the world and still not be able to dance if it isn’t in your heart and soul. You are a true Wordsmith, Michael. Me? when it comes to dancing, my feet are on backwards and at the end of the wrong legs 😀
Oh dear Lyn, they should have sent you back at birth for better feet and legs. Thanks so much fro stopping by.
LOL
Reblogged this on S.O.U.L. S-P-A-C-E.
Thank you JoAnn I am most flattered.
Poignant and personal – some do not have the choice and often the love for the dance is gone.
So true, thanks for the reblog, flattered you did so.
Reblogged this on Moondustwriter's Blog.
This is so sweet and sad…I love to dance, although I was told that I am a bit like Carmen Diaz in Charlie’s Angels…oh well, I love music and just have fun:) I can relate to my singing in this poem though…cannot carry a tune no matter how hard I try.
Its always about having fun Cheryl-Lynn, thanks for dropping by.
This reminds me of a conversation my son, D-I-L and I had about being careful when you tell your children they can be anything they want to be. Sometimes, sadly, it is more than just wanting… they didn’t agree with me. Encourage but have a practical eye, too. It may save some serious problems in the future. I like what you did with this.
I think we all have dreams about what we think we can do. Thankfully with age and time we realise that some of them are not going to be realised. I always have used an expression with my own kids and with the kids I taught when an idea was suggested: Give it a go and see what happens. That way they discover whether they can or can’t achieve their dreams. IF not they find something else.