Bus Ballet (21 Hayes)

Bus Ballet (21 Hayes)

The young ballerinas,

still learning to perfectly

compose their every gesture,

pile into the bus

in a disordered riot

of laughter, duffel bags and slippers.

Passing the Painted Ladies

they are concentrating

on their feet

and not stepping

on one another’s toes.

At Laguna the bus

lurches through the turn and

one ballerina is suddenly

unbalanced

and the whole group,

as if tied together,

fall down in unison.

On firmer footing

chagrined by their

demonstrated lack of poise

the ballerinas move to the back

holding onto the handlebars.

Catching on to the rhythm

of the bus dance and its peculiar

cadence of stop and start,

becoming a troupe

of bus dancers.

As they disembark

at civic center

each one leaps

from the back door,

perfectly composed.