Nureyev's Breath

Bow.
Smile.
The crowd:
mesmerized.
Aching, he swallows.
Truth descends with the red curtain,
swells with the applause. Paris offers its love and thanks;
gracious, he accepts his award.
The music lingers,
forever
inside
him.
Grace—
grace
defines
his beauty
and his legacy.
Refusing to accept defeat,
he dances in his dreams, his body vigorous and whole.
Movement, power, and strength remains
his for the keeping,
though only
in sleep.
Breathe.
Dance.