Ashes of roses, fading to griege, soft still
and holding the must of satin long folded
Layers of tulle are the colour of old newspaper, clipped
and folded, fragile at the edges.
Calamine ribbons and toe boxes, frayed, dirty, worn
kept perhaps for rehearsals, or as company for the clippings.
She was painted once, on pointe, her face turned almost away
but still showing a powdered cheek, a downturned eye
hair and arms, upswept, reaching for vermillion shadows.
The painter caught the tension in the ankles
the taut sinews, the stress fractures.
And thus she is captured, her arches and insteps imprinted
cast into the fabric, holding her position
long after she was capable.
Comments
Luly Whisper | December 17, 2010 - 22:41
I like it.
Silver Spun Sand | December 18, 2010 - 12:36
This is beautiful, Shirley.
Anna Pavlova was ever my childhood idol. I remember I had a book called 'Dancing Star', which was her lifestory right up until the Russian revolution. I read it so many times and especially liked the part about the first ballet she was ever taken to see when very small. Her nails had dug into her palms until they bled...but so enthralled was she, she didn't notice until her mother did.
This is my favourite stanza:-
"She was painted once, on pointe, her face turned almost away but still showing a powdered cheek, a downturned eye, hair and arms, upswept, reaching for vermillion shadows."
Just gorgeous.
Tina
celticman | December 18, 2010 - 14:42
some great images/imagery.
luigi_pagano | December 18, 2010 - 15:32
A good one, Shirley. Well done.
Luigi x
Beeme | December 18, 2010 - 16:10
Beautiful poem Shoe, amazing imagery x
camilla | December 18, 2010 - 18:03
Love the evocation of great art and its impermanence.
shoe | December 19, 2010 - 12:42
Thank you all very much for reading, I'm glad it was enjoyed.
Tina,
I was doing some research on ballet for this poem and came across Anna, She was amazing wasn't she, considered unsuitable for ballet because of her height and shape of her feet, she re-invented the toe box to help her and of course became famous, and I think she performed almost until her death. I will keep an eye out for that book, sounds like I would enjoy it very much. I am especially pleased you like it with you being a big fan, I could write a hundred poems and not do her justice.