a glimpse into this brain of mine

the contest

The lights bare down on your sweaty skin
Your knees are shaking and your palms are wet
You grasp the paper tight
You've trained for days
You tell yourself
You only knew last week
That today you'd be reading your winner out loud
The one you didn't think would win
And yet here you are today
February the 22nd
Holding the moneymaker
Terrified out of your mind
But you Close your eyes
Take a breath
Open them and begin
I am from silly sisters, full time moms, and missing dads....
Your voice never wavers once
You practiced and practiced on that little technique
Finally, finally, it draws to a close and you say the final line
My poem never ending
And the applause starts
And you laugh
"All this? For that?"
And you love it