The Dancer and the Tightrope Walker

Dancer floats in ideal steps,
She’s perfect on the floor.
She flows through poses gracefully,
Each looks better than before.

Tightrope Walker looks to sky
And prays she doesn’t fall,
Ahead a long, precarious rope,
She’s got balance, and that’s all.

Dancer’s technique’s wonderful;
She always looks at ease.
But if she makes a small mistake,
She prays that no one sees.

Tightrope Walker can’t afford
To see if there’s another
Watching every step she takes,
One foot before the other.

Dancer cannot help but fear
How people judge and think.
The pressure to be best of all
Has put her on the brink.

Tightrope Walker walks ahead,
Just one step at a time.
Her focus makes it easier,
She’s suddenly in her prime

Dancer stops her petty charade
To watch the Tightrope Walker
Succeed against adversity;
Dancer wishes she was like her.

Tightrope Walker steps off the rope
With a small smile of pride;
She’s done what she’d set out to do,
Her joy is hard to hide.

Dancer, always perfect,
Sees she’s never felt that way.
As she looks to her opposite
She wonders what to say

Tightrope Walker takes Dancer’s hand
And leads her to the rope,
A challenge to force her to concentrate
And teach her how to cope.