Wonder Woman

My whole life I’ve been waiting for applause,
Neon lights, autographs, Nobel Prize.
My whole life I’ve been waiting for applause.
When it comes, I’ll act coy and surprised.

Secretly I’ve waited, always wanting to believe
That the applause would never stop after I’d achieve.
Secretly I’ve waited, always wanting to believe
What an elusive tapestry a mixed up mind can weave.

I worked hard so that I could reach the top,
A Harvard grad, with A’s on every test.
I worked hard so that I could reach the top,
The world would know – it would show – I was best.

So why’d it always happen I could not convince myself?
Awards just made a hollow sound when placed upon the shelf.
And why’d it always happen that the praises stopped so fast?
Isn’t there a goal to reach where my glory will last?

Then one day I got tired of this game.
Wonder girl, though you’ve won, what’s it worth?
Then one day I got tired of this game.
Craving more, is it found, here on earth?

Well, it has not been easy putting old wishes aside.
While washing piles of dishes, my hands burn with swallowed pride.
No, it has not been easy putting old wishes aside.
Though I have four children now, the old dreams never died.

This afternoon it was raining very hard.
My little ones were getting bored – nowhere to go.
This afternoon it was raining very hard.
I decided to put on a puppet show.

Lining up their kiddie chairs, they sat there in a row.
I peeked out at them a moment, and their faces were aglow.
Lining up their kiddie chairs, they sat there in a row.
Their eyes were full of wonder, as they watched my puppet show.

My whole life I’ve been waiting for applause.
Well, it came. And it’s true. It was great.
My whole life I waited for this applause.
Their little hands, clapping for joy, were worth the wait.

And suddenly I realized that here within these walls,
I did something much greater than in all the lecture halls.
Suddenly I realized that this glory does not leave.
Strand by strand, elusive tapestries are starting to unweave.

***

Bracha Goetz is the author of eleven children’s books, including Aliza in MitzvahLand, What Do You See in Your Neighborhood?  and The Invisible Book. To enjoy Bracha’s presentations, you’re welcome to email bgoetzster@gmail.com.