It started as a stepping out
And was about
A right, bright world
Where special dreams were never wrong
But made you strong
To face the ups and downs of song
And ins and outs of stage.

And then it came,
The bright new name,
Leaping through ambition’s arch
And singing in the god’s round light
Night after night
‘Til praise pranced in with rose bouquets
And raised its heroes with applause.

But that was then
And not again.
No…now it’s all so out of step
As younger goddesses and gods,
Impatient at my slowing pace
Look past my face
And former grace
And urge me to yield up my place.
And so it is a stepping down
From sweet renown,
This silencing of song,
This death,
The first.

Oh!
Could there not be one more stepping out?
Just one more shout
While being lifted up to one’s true place?
The throat so full
The gods lean from the clouds
To join the crowds,
And even Time and Death remove their
Shrouds
In awe of what is done?
Oh! Just once more?