the stage

The stage is empty now,
the smell of the hardwood floor
blends into the still ringing excitment
that had shaken the room from the last concert
that was there.
If you listen close you can hear the 32 voices
singing proud, happy, and then sad,
knowing this is the end.
The sadness in the air is ending the concert
on a note everyone can sing.
we look at the faces of everyone in our group,
not knowing whether to cry,
or to be glad that we are all moving on.
This is my family,
now torn apart by different schools--
still we know, with all our hearts,
we can always go back to that last performance-
back onto our stage...
- Tatijanna Loureiro