Today’s poem

YELLOW TULIPS

We were putting on our tap shoes, When our teacher gave a call, We’d been asked to give a dance display, At the old Shire Hall. She asked me to do a solo, A song-and-dance routine, I chose a Deanna Durbin song, Of her I used to dream. I so often went to see her films, And copied how she dressed, Waltzing In The Clouds, Was the song I liked the best. My grandma bought some satin, As pink as any rose, She made the dress, slit to the waist, Quite daring, I suppose. It really did look something, She had made it very well, Some of my young dancing friends, Were jealous, I could tell. The big day finally arrived, The display was a success. My beloved grandma said, She liked my turn the best. Before the final curtain, The ‘stars’ were given flowers, It was so exciting, I could have stood for hours. A bouquet was handed to me — Yellow tulips, big and bright, I hardly could believe my eyes, And held them very tight. ‘From an admirer’ read the card, My heart began to pound, But the sender of the tulips, I never, ever found! We travelled home by local bus, I walked up to the top, And sat on the very front seat, Holding my flowers aloft. I certainly felt like the queen, Yes, really rather grand, I saw the public passing by, And gracefully waved my hand. When I now see yellow tulips, I think of that great day, When I stood upon the stage so proud, And held my first bouquet.