The bodies cram into the space

Where darkness reigns until the lights raise up

And dresses ease into those folding velvet chairs,

Sighing as the weight comes off those six inch heels,

Not thinking of the pain those pointed toes endure

As the dancers leap and turn in white, so innocent,

But underneath there’s all those hours spent

At the barre in twisted shapes made natural

Despite the strain upon those fragile bones,

Their strength is undeniable, be it physical

Or what they deal with in their minds

And all for art, for those of us

In dresses costing half the world

And peering through binoculars on sticks,

Feeling that we’re at the pinnacle

When really it is those we pay to entertain

Who really rule this world.