The rave’s skirt, kudos wreathed, poise grounded… breathe…
Spine quivers, grade of pitch,
floor shakes… sense… barriers glitch.
Atmosphere of spectacle, but nothing settles,
numb the emotions, spectators trodden up.
I wish they could see what I see. They are here for me, as I am here to perform. The joyous environment could flip at any moment. The parents admire their daughter as she tumbles on the stage.
They see a girl who loves competing, a girl who gets to do it on the bigger stage.
I see the parents cheering for me, bringing their friends to see me. But I know how much trouble I have seen to get here.
The hours of training, not just practicing, but learning pain. Falling down and getting up.
The sick days, when I still had to work and come to practice.
They judge, yet see themselves only, minding their own lives.
What if I fall? Would they still care about me, or about the people they brought?
This ceremony could vanish in an instant.
