I Don’t Think I Can Toe-Dance
When I was ten
I used to look at my dance shoes
and wish
they were pale pink
with ribbons to wind
around my ankles and calves
wish they had a magical
toe-box
to help me balance on my toes
but my dance shoes
were black
and flat
with leather on their soles
and one piece of elastic
running across the top
to keep them on my feet
they had little bows
balanced on the tops
my dance shoes
were for dancing
to the sounds of jazz
the swift beats and
syncopated
rhythms
to wild trumpets
and growling saxophones
my shoes could slide
across the wooden floor
like Bennie Goodman
I don’t think I can toe dance
but music still runs through my feet
I know I can dance— jazz!
Pamela Olson, 4/29/09
For Read Write Poem’s prompt
“I don’t think I can. . .”
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