To be a Swan
As Carroll arrived at the Theatre her chest was tight. She had come to see a
Ballet which was written and to be preformed by a childhood friend she had once danced beside. The Eyes in front of her reflected young love as he opened the door for his Lady Friend and Carroll wheeled in behind her. She finds herself a place at the end of an Isle and locks her brakes.
She is just in time as the Lights dim and acoustical Cricket sounds fill the air.
A Narrator speaks.
' IT is a November Morning air hinting at briskness. We are wittiness to the Sun rising over a pond which was Bed for a multitude of Water Birds."
A dim light starts to brighten over4 the Stage and figures are soon seen seeming to be asleep.
' Off to the corner a Swan can be seen with head on outstretched wing."
Angelles' head lay tilting to the Floor with eyes closed.
Once the Instructors had said they had equal talent and would both go far.
The fact that she could no longer dance was the worst cruelty life had lashed her with and her lack of bitterness surprised most but it was not her way.
As Carroll looks to Angelle the Swan she sees a body toned by a lifetime of Figure Skating and Ballet.
Her poise was from the school of Classical Music. Chopin, Mozart and others had her teething marks.
She looks at the Body below her and her eyes well up in tears.
No She whispers. " Here I can be free of this cumbersome device. I am who I wish to be in my daydreams."
So her thoughts wander and in her minds eye she becomes the Dancer who is a Swan.
As the aforesaid light brightens the warmth in the image reflective from the Water below awakens Swan Carroll and she let the glory surround her. There was no hurry here in this Morning for she would take the time to enjoy the beauty of life.
She looks up to see the clouds go by, there over the Dogwoods is her friend Crane.
She Giggles. ' His picture is in the Clouds."
The sound of little waves against the shore caught her attention. She had watched them since she was a hatchling. A set went by clustered different than the rest then became wind. Carroll thought I am wind if I wish to be.
The Narrator mentions the Swans friends as the other Birds awaken.
The lead Dancer greets good morning to all.
The Orchestra played in perfect time and all was well at the Ballet.
The Narrator said the Swan took a flight. Carroll watched as Angelle stands and starts to skip and spin across the Stage in an exuberant way. The Music sounded in happy keys and all was well at the Ballet.
Angelle was fluid and Carroll dismisses a tinge of envy which was out of this happy place in her mind where she could still dance.
If one of the Stage hands had not dropped a pencil or if Angelle had stepped a half step further on the Swans last flight across the Pond then perhaps this moment would have ended on a better note. But as life is sometimes things happen and on the last pass across the stage Angelle twisted her ankle and fell to the floor.
Hand on mouth the Audience gasped as the Orchestra diminished with Angelle sitting on the floor rubbing her Ankle with a saddened expression for she knew she could not continue.
Carroll winced as a bolt of pain shot through her ankle.
' How silly ' She whispers. "I cannot feel my legs."
But the mind is powerful and in her mind she had escaped to dance and feel the pain.
After a moment Angelle rose on one leg.
The audience gave a standing ovation which Angelle gleefully took
The little Girl in Carroll, who longs dance, now shed tears. She cried for Angelles pain and tears for her own for not being part of the ovation.
This is part of Medowview Daycare but it should stand on it's own.
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem