A LIFETIME OF DANCE

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My life has been  

A series of dances

The contortion of birth

The late-night sway in a strong pair of arms

The pram-escorted air kick

Where rubbery feet 

Broadway tapped along the cloud covered floor 

of the passing sky

The hurry, flurry crawl

Which was greeted by an avalanche of invisible roses

The first step wobble

The handheld promenades

The flirtation with waves 

The welcoming of snow

The green mile stroll on the first day of school

The years later Spring Festivals

Where it felt thrilling to 

Move with partners

Whose dresses rustled like department store tissue paper

And ponytails pranced in the wind

There was so much more

The Junior High Friday night-grinding

The High School backseat tango 

The college dorm seductions

The one-knee proposal

The very first gambol as Mr. And Mrs. 

Which led to 

The ballet of the bending over backward

The extraction of concessions

The half-hearted apologies

The turning away when you knew it was over

And now all that is left 

Is the calligraphy of remorse

And the lone wolf howl of despair

Until one day

In the first-born hours of the morning

The ghost

Of someone who you have lost and loved

Maybe your mom 

Or perhaps your dad

Will rise like a mystery

From the mystery steam of the shadows

And offers you a hand

For one last dance.


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