by April Poole ’19
Everyone knows that without a good plié,
you’ll never get off the ground
(maybe that’s where we went wrong,
we needed softer knees, stronger ankles).
And on the landing, sickled feet will only lead to stumbles
(and maybe that is what we missed,
a soft roll through the landing).
A pirouette without a spot
will end in swirly colors and a shaking floor
(maybe our gaze was not strong enough,
our focus beyond the turn).
And nothing will succeed without proper alignment,
the foundation for every movement
(did we not keep ourselves in line,
long neck- long legs- long arms).
Every lift depends upon the commitment
of both partners reaching for the stage lights
(if you were distracted by the audience,
all I could do was wait for the floor to catch me).
At the start of every day,
barre prepares the body to start again,
shoulders over ribs over hips
(if we remember this time we might make it off the ground).
