The Audition

Alice Rose, 
She chewed her nails, 
Thought nervously, 
‘What if she failed?' 
Inside her chest, 
Her heart beat faster, 
‘What would she do, 
If they didn't cast her?' 
In the mirror, 
A face stared back, 
So tired and ugly, 
The mirror should crack. 
Minutes later, 
Make-up on, 
One false move, 
Her dream was gone. 

Sometime later, 
And on the bus, 
She peered out, 
At the daytime rush, 
Rain drenched roads, 
And clouds of grey, 
One way or other, 
‘This was her day', 

Around the corner 
Up stone steps, 
‘This was it', 
‘No regrets'. 
Patiently she waited, 
Then her moment came, 
An auburn haired lady 
Called her name. 
A second of panic, 
‘What if she froze?' 
A shiver ran 
Head to toes. 
Seconds later, 
Through heavy doors, 
A painted white room 
With wooden floors, 
Looking over, 
She could have cried, 
As they stared back, 
Through empty eyes. 
She remembered the lines 
And spoke with feeling, 
Shaking hands, 
Her nerves revealing. 
The moment over, 
The audition done, 
Her throat was dry, 
‘Was she the one?' 
She felt as if, 
She had run a mile, 
But still somehow, 
She managed a smile. 
Passing back 
Through those heavy doors, 
Her heels clicked, 
Upon the floor. 
Down stone steps 
Onto the street, 
She sat a while, 
On dampened seat. 
The traffic past, 
Their headlights glowed, 
Reflecting on 
The rain drenched road. 

Sometime later, 
And on the bus, 
Her blue eyes twinkled, 
Her face was flushed. 
Certain that she'd done her best, 
A second's thought 
For all the rest, 
Desperate now, 
For a cup of tea, 
‘Hope they feel as happy as me'. 
Minutes later, 
Back at her flat, 
To a pile of bills 
And a sleeping cat. 

Five days past, 
Feeling down, 
Still in slippers 
And her dressing gown, 
The moggy lay 
Across her lap, 
An envelope fell 
Through the letter flap. 
Quickly she tore 
The paper apart, 
Trying to calm 
Her pounding heart, 
Her throat was dry, 
Her eyes still tired, 
Surprise, 
It said, ‘Miss Rose, you're hired!'