First Recital - a few poems

by Janet Tilstra

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As I experiment with poetry, I'm learning my automatic writing goes quickly to my thoughts. It's challenging when I seek the words to describe physical-sensory experiences. This post has 3 versions of a poem as I experiment with those sensory dimensions.

• First, I wrote a short poem about my oldest daughter's first dance recital. It's focused on the sensory elements of her toddler recital.

• Then, I switched the original poem into a Pantoum-style repeated form (Note: some Pantoum Poems rhyme. I have chosen to ignore that dimension).

• Lastly, I re-wrote the poem based on the original and my inner dialogue as parent reflecting back.

First Dance Recital #1 (emphasis on the sensory experience)

Fists anchored on hips

Smile pasted below rouge spheres

Tight curls and headband tug at temples

Look left, look right, look down

Find your (red tape) spot

I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas Invites tap, tap, tap

Crinoline scratches, lace rustles

Polar fleece sewn into armholes embraces soft flesh

Guarding from the prick of lace

Watch Miss Lisa! Look for Grandma!

Smile!

First Recital #2 Pantoum Poem

Fists anchored on toddler hips.

A smile is pasted below rouge spheres.

We spent hours rolling tight curls and assembling barrettes that tug at her temples.

Look left, look right, look down.

A smile is pasted below rouge spheres.

Find your spot.

Look left, look right, look down.

The Christmas hippopotamus invites tap, tap, tap.

Find your spot.

Crinoline scratches; the lace rustles.

The Christmas hippopotamus invites tap, tap, tap.

Polar fleece casing embraces her delicate biceps.

Crinoline scratches; the lace rustles.

A guard for the prickly-scratchies,

Polar fleece casing embraces her delicate biceps.

Watch Miss Lisa and smile!

A guard for the prickly-scratchies,

We spent hours rolling tight curls and assembling barrettes that tug at her temples.

Watch Miss Lisa and smile!

Fists anchored on toddler hips.

First Recital and a Mother’s Self-Analysis (update: Jan 24, 2024)

Fists perched on her 3-year-old hips

Did I do right to introduce her to dance so early?

Smile anchored below rouge circles

Beauty and performance so central

Tight curls tug of war with her temples.

Poise, grace, humor.

Look left, look right, look down.

“Feel all the feels,” I taught her.

Find your spot.

“Paste on a smile,” instructed dance.

Tap, tap, tap to Christmas hippopotamus.

“Embody emotion,” instructed dance.

Scratchy crinoline, rustling lace

"Live into your feminism," said I.

Fleece armhole linings embrace her soft flesh,

Express, know, accomplish!

Guarding from the prick of lace.

Shine, sparkle, smile!

Watch Miss Lisa. 

Live into you.