stands heron-still, flexed,

fully alert, focused on the music,

her hand a burst of wind

tossing a white sheet.

And while the spotlight admires

the soloist’s passion, I love

the page turner even more,

remembering the thrill

of starting at the bottom—

tracking labs, holding retractors,

the lowest rung a badge of honor,

all the confidence earned when

we learn to accept our place.