My Dance Shoes

Chestnut brown with marks as black as night
gig gaping holes that allow my big toe to peek through
fitting like a glove
it feels like I am wearing nothing but an old pair of socks
they allow me to turn endlessly
and soar high into the sky

They have been there for every moment of my dance life,
through the pain
through the battle
sad times, sweat and tears

I have grown as a dancer
and grown in size
I squeeze my feet into my shoes,
only to find they are small
I look at the marks and holes
that represent the long hours
working hard
to achieve my dream
to be
a dancer