This poem was written as part of a poetry prompt by @DversePoets and was written while listening to Tchaikovsky’s “Sleeping Beauty” Op. 66.
Silvery lights dim down
And the dancers flit away
All but the bella ballerina
As she floats on the tips
Of her satin slippers
To take center stage.
Before a captivated audience
Hushed to an enchanted silence
She stands quite still
Awaiting her prince to
Make his grand entrance
The spotlight grows again
As the prince marches in
His strong strides slow
As he embraces her torso
He twirls her to face him
And softly whispers “Ti Amo”
They dance as one
But both left breathless
Lost in the tempesta of romance
As the music stops-
And the spotlight fades to darkness.
By Gretchen Leary 2012
Gretchen Leary (McIntire) 
Gretchen, this is gorgeous. Very tender.
Thank-you so much for taking the time to read my poem. Each poem I write, is almost draining afterwards. I feel like I’ve run a marathon. Listening to classical pieces has truly changed my writing and I love to learn more about each composer and find my own interpretation of their choice of instruments and volume and flow..
Thank-you again!
It’s very beautiful! It leaves so much to the imagination, especially the last stance. I love your writing!
Wow, thank-you for your encouragement. I got so lost in listening to the music that I almost didn’t bother writing it but I am glad now I did. 🙂
You’ve certainly captured the ballet dancers perfectly in this. It’s lovely. I usually always write to music in the background. It seems to help the flow.
Thank-you 🙂 I tend to capture the essence of love and of anger better than happiness in poetry and I wanted a lighter piece and so Tchaikovsky came to mind and I thought of my trips to the Boston Ballet as a young girl and how amazed I was at their poise. Music does help tremendously with inspiration and with flow.
Thank-you again
Always a good to write poems to music as like this it frees the imagination
Thankyou 🙂
ah yes, “ti amo” – what words can possibly hope to compete with those?
Bella, indeed, Gretchen – brava! A beautiful read. K
Thankyou! I’m glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
oh this is lovely…i am married to a ballerina…and i have danced with her on stage…it is beautiful to watch and you capture a bit of the magic of it in this…and i like that you gave us the sound track as well…
Thankyou for reading it. Most of my newest poetry is connected with a classical piece 🙂 If you click on my Poetry tab (at the top) it’ll give you a quick reference to my poetry and the classical piece it was inspired by 🙂
I love the fact that you’ve danced with her on stage. That sounds so romantic!
ha it was fun…we were just dating then..i actuallyhave several dance credits in college where i danced with her…never would have thought to do that…smiles.
I have two left feet but the poem reminded me of watching dance rehearsals at the Boston Ballet (my babysitter and their spouse) were dancers. It was a very long time ago.
Ah, the ‘tempesta of romance’, how lovely. This appealed to the composer in me and you paint a very clear picture of the action. Nicely done!
Thank you for reading my poem, it means a lot. Most of my poems are inspired by classical pieces these days. If you click on the Poetry tab on my blog it will list some of my poems and their classical music connection/inspiration. What type of composer are you? 🙂
I have composed a Mass and I’m working on an opera. I mostly write contemporary choral and instrumental pieces. I’m a bit experimental :). I’ll be back to check out your poems this week, thanks!
Lovely music here – I especially like the strong slow strides of the male ballerina = you really capture his movements. k.
Thank-you for reading it. I wanted to make his image strong and protective. 🙂
Beautiful poem Gretchen – it’s really something. The words just flow together so smoothly and paint such a vivid picture when read. 🙂
Thank-you Dan. That is an enormous compliment.
love it! makes me want to be a ballerina so I can have a tempesta of romance!! 🙂
🙂 Glad you liked it so much!!
Gretchen,
I could picture the dancers in my mind as I read your poem. Gorgeous!
Diane
Thank you Diane!
I love the musical muse! It’s one of my favorite ways to write!
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