The edges of the ribbons
are singed
(but I did that to them, so that they wouldn’t fray)
The shoes themselves are pale-pink –
(almost white, but not quite)
Pale-pink silk, the toes
Are grey shreds that I was supposed to dip in rosin.
I never did.

In the beginning,
I slipped a lot, pirouettes turned sideways,
And tipped me to ground, left me
Cut up, purple bruises, chipped tooth
(pointe shoes not designed for tile)
So I did it again.

The night of the show,
I grinned, because he wanted me to kiss him,
And I wouldn’t, because I didn’t want out make-up to smear.
After the show, I took the pins and elastics out of my hair,
And the bun held.