10 minutes till show time.

I breathe in the abundant air.
It gets caught halfway down
and my breaths go in, out, in, out;
too speedy and too short.

I gaze into the mirror and touch it.
Making sure I am who I materialize to be
and not someone who will sprint at the sight of a challenge.
The time has come to reveal myself to the world.

I hear the world chanting my name from behind the curtain.
Some people sound happy, playful, and lively while
some sound angry, bitter, and outraged
yet all seem to call out with curiosity.

5 minutes till show time.

I taste the sour, sharp tension in the air.
Slithering off my tongue,
Coiling around my throat,
it chokes me till what seems like my last breath.

I smell the vulgar stench of fear reeking off of me.
My body trembles from it, knees about to give out
and any minute now,
the curtain will open to me sitting on my a**.

1 minute till show time.

Yet, when the long hand finally lines up to the twelve
and my curtains open up for the world,
I step up to the microphone,
I confidently announce,

‘Welcome to my show!
Please no judging and turn off your tainted minds until the very end.
Ladies and gents, enjoy the glimpse of me.’