Performing Live

You know, I didn't expect the lights to be so bright;
Every corner of the theatre was illuminated,
Shining white as the paint that covered it's walls.
The chairs were misleading, comfortable.

I walked in there, clearly aware of what awaited me.
I knew that I'd have to speak, perform to them,
That crowd awaiting before the stage;
I knew that, and I struggled to walk even past them!

People performed, one by one, their poetry alive.
It was alphabetical order, I knew where my place was;
My letter came up, clear as a bell.
I noticed again, lights so bright. Blinding even;

Maybe that was the point, made it easier,
easier to pretend the crowd didn't exist;
Easier maybe, for me to fumble out my lines,
Tongue slipping over the words that once flowed.

I passed my piece to their ears, and hoped for the best;
The judges waited patiently for the others to perform,
Then they left to consult, pass their judgement upon us.
Another artist performed, confident and sure.

He was good, interesting, funny, inspiring.
If only I had performed to that level,
My victory would be assured;
Too bad, I knew I hadn't.

Family and friends who had come, came to see me in action;
Came to hear the pieces aloud, instead of silently read.
They listened to me, and recorded me do it;
I played it back afterwards, and watched it, counted the errors;

Despite all this, Words fail to describe;
The tension that snapped, the space it left,
and the space was filled with an overwhelming surprise;
I was awarded second place.

I lost only to a girl so well prepared, It was fit for her to win.
She read her lines perfectly, every word so pronounced.
She become the Laureate, the winner in every sense;
Yet I feel proud with my achievement, Despite my errors, I'd performed,

And despite my errors, My performance was noted, and since awarded.