A Poem About the Theatre

A Step Away from my Future Passion      

by Madeleine Ingle

There I was,

Hair bundled on top of my head,

In a Renaissance dress fit for a queen,

Waiting behind a thick, black curtain,

That being the only thing that was preventing

me from stepping out on stage,

Lights blinding my eyes, 

And listening to the world call out in awe,

"Look at that girl!"

At the time I was 8 years old,

just beginning the third grade,

and I was the "Lady in Waiting"

in Athens Little Playhouse's "The Frog Princess."

This was opening night.  

We had a "Full House,"

and it was my turn to go on.  

I had worked so hard for this,

so I couldn't just let the nerves get to me,

I had to step out.

I took a deep breath, and went for it.