The floor creaked,
the microphone felt so far away.
My throat was closing in on me,
my heart thumped rapidly.

As I began,
the words came out of my heart.
The audience grew silent,
and so did I.

They applauded and whistled,
my jaw dropped as they all chanted my name.
I left the stage in tears,
"Now that's a rising star."

I got ready for school the next morning,
and left for the special school I attended,
California School for the Blind.