Shortlisted

I breathe a deep breath

Right down

To the bottom of my lungs

And step through the glass doors

 

Inside the air-con blasts down

Softly ruffling my hair,

I gulp and walk towards

The table, past the other tired

Faces. My eyes are on

My shoes. The laces,

Scuffed toes, frayed edges.

I step in time

With the beating of my heart.

 

As I approach the table

Covered in my scattered

Sketchbooks and presentation boards

My eye is drawn to a small

Rectangle of white paper

An alien object

Amongst the outcome of

A semesters hard work.

 

My breath catches and I reach down,

Tug it off the top of the canvas.

One word jumps off the paper

Throws itself into my mouth:

 

‘SHORTLISTED’

 

I whisper it to myself

Softly. It echoes around

The tense corners of my tired mind,

Bounces off the words

Graffitied on my brain

(Inadequate.  Insufficient.)

And shatters

Into a shower of tiny sparkling pieces.

 

I smile.

A secret smile just for us.

(My work and me)

And pack everything away.

As I leave, I look up and,

Through a mind fogged

With lack of sleep, I focus on

A single hope.

 

Maybe I’m better than

I think.

Author's Note

My mixed media A1 canvas self-portrait thing got shortlisted..

Reviews

[Beatrice Mars]

I'm assuming shortlisted is good! Well done.

Lush poem as well! Reminded me of 'the gallery' from Never Let Me Go, which is a book you...probably shouldn't read as it wasn't all thay good...

Anyways, I loved it!