I Cannot Dance Upon My Toes

Peggy Nilsson — Photographs — Alex Waterhouse-Hayward

Of late I have been thinking about legs here and here.Through my efforts on the net I found again Peggy Nilsson, one of the finest dancers I have ever met. And so thanks to her and going to my files and Emily Dickinson I have justification for these shots you see here.

I cannot dance upon my toes — Emily Dickinson

I cannot dance upon my Toes —
No Man instructed me —
But oftentimes, among my mind,
A Glee possesseth me,

That had I Ballet knowledge —
Would put itself abroad
In Pirouette to blanch a Troupe —
Or lay a Prima, mad,

And though I had no Gown of Gauze —
No Ringlet, to my Hair,
Nor hopped to Audiences — like Birds,
One Claw upon the Air,

Nor tossed my shape in Eider Balls,
Nor rolled on wheels of snow
Till I was out of sight, in sound,
The House encore me so —

Nor any know I know the Art
I mention — easy — Here —
Nor any Placard boast me —
It’s full as Opera —

Link to: I Cannot Dance Upon My Toes

Originally published at blog.alexwaterhousehayward.com.