Little ballet girl,
Does point and flex exercise well.
Teacher approves.
Her little feet
In her mini-
Size kids ten-
One soled slippers
Have a tint of elegance
And beauty.
She is six.

Little ballet girl,
Does a port de bras.
Perfect. Applause.
Third recital,
Third audience,
Third tutu,
First solo.
She is eight.

Little ballet girl,
Starts Pointe.
Perfect ankles, perfect shoes,
Perfect toes, perfect ribbons,
Her mother sowed,
Laced up her frail
Shins.
Grace.
She is ten.

Little ballet girl,
Performs.
Triple pirouette.
All the old
Positions,
Now
Grande.
She is twelve.

Little ballet girl,
Best in class.
Highest arabesque.
Perfect.
Pure…
Splendor.
Vaganova adores.
She is fourteen.

Little ballet girl,
Giselle.
One of the youngest her age…
To do
So
Well.
She glows—
A star.
She is sixteen.

Little ballet girl,
Now old.
So many years
The changes,
She faced.
The disappointments,
She endured.
The performances,
The glory.
A legend.