I wrote this on 18th May 2002â€"seems like ever since then my muse has been particularly active! A script, another poemâ€"in fact, two more poems… thank goddess it’s the june hols and I can at least devote some time to writing! =P This particular poem is still very rough-edged butâ€"argh, I’ve made the biggest mistake of all time; growing waay too attached to a poem still in its preliminary stages. Damn. Ah well, too bad. Enjoy. =)

To the stars of the poemâ€"If I assumed anything, here are my apologies! I’ve always seen too many hidden nuances in even the simplest things… :S Anyway, this is for all Kaleidoscope EDS dancers and the backstage workers (include me in that!) and esp. for Melissa.

_

Remembrance

A memory of darkness

Dissolving into light

Upturned faces awaiting

The return of sight

Turning figures appearing

From the darkness (darkness-bright)

A remembrance of night-dark

Entwined with golden sunlight

As the illumination faltered

(into reluctant life)

You were waiting

Softly

Remembering.

A memory of falling

Under an interwoven spell

Swirls of the ancient music

That I seemed to know so well

Figures soaring, burning, falling

Into mystery they fell.

A remembrance of worry

Something was wrongâ€"what was gone?

Something was holding the key to the song

(longed-for ambience, but unresponsive audience)

My heart was sinking deep

Remembering.

A memory of sorrow

For I saw the despair well

The disappointment, discouragement

Oh, I wish that I could quell!

The dance had been a marvelâ€"

Why couldn’t the watchers tell?

A remembrance of anger

Burning dull, deep and low

As the new ridicule of music

Broke the audience’s icy cool

I felt a strange despair

Burning-calling

(burning/calling/burning/calling/burning/calling)

A memory of blueness

Of swirling satin skirts

Of strains of leaping music

Of dancersâ€"soaring birds!

…

A sudden jerk, a twitch, a frown

You held such anxious hurt…

A remembrance of ending

Of the final trilling march

Of the pride you were defending

Of the way you stood, untouched.

With all the disappointment deep

How could you bear so much?

A memory of black and gold

A curtsy rehearsed (thousand-fold)

Then t’was blue sky in satin caught

And with that final movement taught

Me things I never knew and yet…

And yet

Held deep

Within

My heart.

You held your skirts and walked out boldly

You knew you had done your best

And with that graceful sweeping curtsy

(embodiment of elegance)

That set you apart from the restâ€"

You always were different, unique

Fae-touched and magickedâ€"

You showed that

Truly

On that night.

As you lifted your head proudly

And stood up with pride

You stared out into the audience

(you were an enigmatic challenge)

The memory burns bright.

18/05/2002