The Ballerina

​by Clifford K. Watkins, Jr.

A spirit follows the composition wherever it goes
Effortlessly fluttering like gossamer wings
Transcending the mildew-stained wall and vast shadow
A ballerina twirls radiantly
Unwilling to tackle her reflection
Leaving the audience in awe
But soon unforgiving reality’s curtain descends
And she’s faced with a portly clown
Tears racing trails through face paint
As transparency sheds light on the audience
Of porcelain dolls and stuffed animals
A girls stands naked beside a music box
Alone in a stagnant room
Tracing her mound of stretched skin
Only wanting to vanish

Clifford K. Watkins, Jr., has dabbled with various mediums in the creative realm. He has been writing poems, stories, and dirty limerick since elementary school. Through the years, he has performed as a comedian, rapper, and spoken-word artist. He hosted a call-in radio show for EPiphany Radio (2014-16) that featured spoken-word artists from all over the world. He currently resides in a small one-horse town in the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia, where he spends his free time writing, walking trails, and painting rocks. If you'd like to check out some of his comedic audio recordings, click here!

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