Showstopper

There I was

torn chiffon & tarnished silk,

the spotlight froze it all–

dust settling from the warm light,

eyes of serpents or fox or both,

mouths agape & the announcer’s stuttering words.

one hand over my breast,

the other holding the remains of my gown;

I still feel ashamed.

heat rising across my body,

flushed cheeks & that lump in my throat:

nothing weighs more than judgement

but nothing weighs less than pity.

their hatred presses on my tongue as they say,

How dare you ruin this!

it’s not a question–

just the beginning of rock bottom.

& it’s my Sunday best.

Madi Maiola is a poet in Connecticut. She is a former two-time apprentice at the Nook Farms Collaborative.