Our ‘lockdown’ pageant poem…
The stage is empty and the lights can’t shine
How sorely I miss that world of mine
The girls, their stories and the dreams they hold
Inspiring, encouraging, beautiful and bold
The pull of pageantry is a mystery to most
Just an Instagram picture or a Facebook post
But look beyond the smiles and the walk
And you’ll find a woman who is more than just talk
A determination to step up and say
I’ll do my thing and I’ll do it my way
A celebration of the female and womankind
An opportunity to leave insecurities behind
A place where she says she is good enough
And for those who don’t like it, well sorry, tough
It’s a love of being female and all that means
For girls and women living out their dreams
A place of sisterhood where confidence grows
A time of purpose where solidarity shows
A platform that provides a chance to learn
A place where doubts crash and burn
It’s not for everyone and that is fair
But for the woman who is at her best there
A crown is her prize but the winner is she
Because she was brave and said ‘I like me’
By Paula Abbandonato, the director of Miss Wales.