Dear six-year-old me,

I know what you
Love to do most;

You love to

Spin around

As fast as you can
In circles around and

Around in the living room

Music blaring;

Tiara atop your head;

Slippers hugging your feet;

Leotard embracing your body;

The whole room a colorful blur.

I know what you

Want to be when

You grow up;

You try to dance

Up on your toes

Trying to fly

Just like the

Lovely girl onscreen

Who is floating

Across the stage

Atop two rosy pointe shoes;

You look inside

A catalog of birthday cakes

And find a ballerina

Entirely composed of

Icing and batter

You want that cake

To be made for your

Next birthday

Because it represents
Exactly what you

Want to become

One day.

Though, in the end

I did not become

A prima ballerina

Like you wanted

I have become

A dancer of ballet,

Jazz, tap, and theatre.

If you could somehow
Travel to today

And watch me

Twirl

And leap

And fly

Across the floor

My hope is that

You would be so proud

Of what I became

And so excited
To become that

Yourself.

 

- Audrey Kerns.