The dream waltzed me back
to the ballet barre’ on 57th street
clad in the stream-lined black tights
of an overachiever eager to fly,

a fashioned purple leotard clung
over supple yet primed pecs
stretching in-wait for the first strains
of Chopin’s inspiration,

my current seventy-year-old belly
was reduced back to the 1960’s
contours of a model-thin frame
standing strong, tall and ready.

New York’s energy bustled
through the studios of Carnegie Hall
ceilings were high as were expectations
in those days of constant flight

and fly we did to the encouragement of Sonia’s
strident sharp tongue discerning hawkeye
she may have “Sipped a bit on Venesdays”
but never missed a slumped torso or an unpointed toe.

She stood 4 feet 4 and round as a butter biscuit
her correction cane’s stinger mastered our ankles and hands
she pirouetted like a top with not a teeter and demoed
with the ease of a swan despite her 80 plus years

’Et un” she shouted to Mrs Valvainsky at the piano
as 58 years vanished into the 1st plie’ of the morning
and drew all of us away from any dessert’s temptation
back to moderation and discipline back to the love of dance.

© Jon Von Erb

Jon is a poet and the mentor of a poetry group in Southern California. Professionally he practices therapeutic and medical massage therapy. His past career was that of a ballet dancer, choreographer and professor of classical dance techniques in America, including Alaska, and throughout Europe.  Alternatively, he has been a Floral Designer and teacher of literature and the fine arts in his hometown of San Francisco.  He is a lover of dogs, nature and thought-provoking ideas, which he trusts, shows in his poetry. He has been previously published in the Rancho Mirage public library’s poetry group’s 2015 theology. His poem ‘Gaze’  was selected as the poem of the year by the Palm springs writing guild. To read more of his work visit:

AllPoetry: https://allpoetry.com/Jon_the_Von