Cinderella's Ball

                                               Munche

HEADS OR TAILS asks for an entry based on the word 'BALL'.

This painting is actually entitled 'The Dance of Life' but I wonder......


CINDERELLA'S BALL

'Tonight, Berthe'

Said Mama, decisively, as always,

'We go to the dance'.

Berthe was folding the clean laundry

Fresh from the windy line.

She drew in her breath

And waited….

'The Minister tells me

It will be very suitable

As a young girl's first dance,

And I think you're of an age.'

'Of an age', means 'ready'

Thought Berthe.

And Berthe was ready, so ready!

'The cream dress will do'

Continued Mother.

'And you can put your hair up.'

Already the dance in the Church Hall

Was assuming the proportions

Of Cinderella's Ball!

As Berthe laid out her cream dress

And shone her black pumps

She felt the excitement mounting.

As she carefully brushed her hair

And caught it up behind her ears

The blood in her veins started dancing.

All by itself!

'The Dance of Life'

Thought Berthe.

'This is the beginning!

Tonight I'll find out.'

'Find out what, exactly?'

Said a quiet voice in her head.

'Tonight I'll meet a handsome man.

He will smile at me

With flashing teeth.

I shall smell the pomade on his hair!

I shall be close enough

To count the hairs on the backs of his hands!

He'll whisper into my hair

When Mama isn't looking!

He'll press me close

And tell me I'm adorable!

Tonight!

And how we'll dance!

A Bolero!

A Pavane!

Or even a Saltarello!

How we'll circle, how we'll spin!

How we'll fall,

Laughing,

Into each others arms!

'The Dance of Life!'

When they arrived, the Minister

Was winding-up the gramophone.

'Ah! A waltze!

How very suitable!' said Mama.

One two three, one two three, one two three.

'Dance with Uncle Arve'

Commanded Mama.

'He'll take you round.'

Berthe was clutched to a portly stomach

And perambulated.

One two three, one two three, one two three.

The gramophone began to wind-down.

The music went off-key.

'The Dance of Death'

Thought Berthe.

'The Dance of Death'

They went home early.

After all,

It was Berthe's first dance.

A very different approach to dancing here:
http://rinklyrimes.blogspot.com/2009/01/ps-rain-dance.html