Lucy Barge — Highly commended (equal), Year 12 Scratchy shuffles

Scratchy shuffles

how you gonna tap outta this girl? scratchy shuffles like a broken record on the wood wondering if your screws have fallen out focussed faces on high toes bobby-pinned buns and pink eyeshadow maybe I didn’t get the memo? breaking down the last few lessons muscles crying out for help dizzy and more dizzy I can’t live this dance anymore until the spotlights fall but not I lips dry from smiling into the darkness that is an audience or maybe just the judge are they smiling back? and there’s a surge I want to keep tapping to my heart beat lip syncing excitement this is it until the spotlights blacken and so do I life pushing me off the stage punching my bloody nose most days I dance

tissues not just for the tears that shouldn’t come — how you gonna tap outta this girl?

— Lucy Barge, Mountainview High School