Final Poetry Assignment

She lifts her head as
her hair spins around her body,
Her spinning tutu a river
of pink.
The sparkling crown on her head
glitters under the hot spotlight,
making a tiny dot of sweat
brake out on her forehead.
The crowd gasps as she leaps high
into the air,
her arms spread like a birds wings.
Her smile captivates
the audience but
her eyes are stormy and
dark.
The girls backstage applaud
as they normally do,
but the ballerina knows that they
don't care at all.
Petals slip from her dress
as she twirls faster and faster
grasping at the slightest
bit of attention
before she slips on a piece
of satin
and falls down
down
down,
her hurricane of dance complete.




     The process of writing this poem involved a painting by Edgar Degas "The Star". I have loved this painting since i was little, and i remember spending hours with my mom looking at Degas' paintings in museums. When I found out that we had to write a poem based on a panting, I knew from the very first moment that "the Star" was the painting that i would use. The thing that always caught my attention with this painting was the dancers body language and expression. Her smile was very big and caught your attention, but for some reason I always found her eyes dark and angry. I based this poem on the feeling I got from the painting, which was the background for every sentence.

     I have learned to channel my feelings to create a story with limited words from this poetry unit. I have always loved poetry, but i feel that the assignments presented in this unit were very fun and really got you to push past your comfort zone. All of my poems used to be very scenic without much of a story, and they used to be focussed very much around rhythm and rhyme. But, during this unit, I have learned that poetry isn't all about the sounds, but it is also about the stories you tell and the impression you leave on the reader.