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Watching

Backstage, in the shadows

By Elaine GaoPublished 2 years ago 1 min read
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Look backstage! I am right here!

I watch from the backstage,

You laughing, you shining, you owning the silver lining

You singing, you dancing, you who there finds belonging

How come only one curtain apart

Yet my limbs are stiff, my throat is parched,

My features are stony, my breath is short

And I. Have no light

So I man the props and pull the levers

And readies the stage orders

To throw a spotlight on you

To raise the platform on which you stand

To unleash a petal shower on top of your head

But who will look at me?

Without a fancy outfit, or Prince Charming waiting—

For me, at the grand finale

Without lipstick or a crown

But just me, with my knotted hair, freckles, and mismatched socks

Me.

Who yearns that I was the one they were praising.

When the curtain comes down, they still chant your name

You wave, you smile. You don’t invite me to your side

But I’ve too, memorized all the lines

And I can practice with the walls.

But no one ever asked

So there I remained, watching,

From the backstage.

heartbreak
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