Pretty Ugly Words

Timid little boy on the diving board.
Scared of heights, scared to fail--disappoint.
We cheer, encourage, and love him
but all he sees is the fear
of water WAY down there
beneath his small feet.
A cold shiver
the ripples
taunt and
tease.
Then...
A step,
small but huge.
Daddy's smiling
Mommy is cheering
the water glitters and
twinkles close enough to touch.
A surge of hope, a daring move.
He takes flight, a giant leap of faith.
A splash, a burst of joy. The fear is dead.

Form: Etheree

Number of lines: Minimum 10, as required by the form.

Rules: The poetry form, Etheree, consists of 10 lines of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 syllables. Etheree can also be reversed and written 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Get creative and write an Etheree with more than one verse, but follow suit with an inverted syllable count.

Reversed Etheree: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

Double Etheree: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 10, 9, 8, 7, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

...Triple Etheree, Quadruple Etheree, and so on!