You move, again. Again.
The rhythm beats along from the wooden chalkboard pointer
pounding the floor for deux battement tendu
from right to left,
and here also two, jeté–
kick left then right,
battement frappé
to close to leap to land
changement de pied.
Other side, again?
Again, so savage. Again!
Flawed form so small the frame
so large the shame and who says
that delicate design is my greatest asset
until the stage lights glow against me
against the music that plays beyond
my tendu-tendu-jeté-jeté-frappé-changement
I ask the laughing girl next to me–
Be quiet or I’ll turn your hair black!
Where are your arms?
Like sails blown by winds
never sent from the orchestra singing below,
waving their voices back to the heavens,
nothing but pinwheeling arms decorate carnival clowns:
In first, then third
Close right, switch left
To first, up fifth
Present.
Again, are you sick? Again!
Tendu, tendu–a crack to the calf–
a wooden rapture to tighten up–
awake–now rise:
jeté and another day the frappé gets a snap behind,
the elastic binds the waist in ways no passion stands to compare.
Are we there? Frappé and close
the final air between toes and floor scissored slicing moves:
Changement.
Again, it’s not an acrobatic trick eyes closed. Again!
Head on front lights, lift eyes with room to view,
Chin right, chin left,
All down, then up
Beaming
all knowing, all one, all in all.
You’ve just met the love of your life!
Aurora could not be more blasé. Why are you here? Again!
From the back of the line
I saw you in my future
there waiting, but never alone
Again!
Again. Again. Again. Again-again-again.
Can you feel that, now, Anna? Romance!
Yes. Yes! Yes, and yes again! Again?
That is all.
That is all for today.
I’ve seen it.