Around and around the circle,
slow dancing in opposite directions,
we meet each other’s eyes and sing,
then spin to arrive at our next partner,
and greet her in turn. Our hands lift,
move softly in the air near each other’s hair.
Gazing in the eyes finding ours, we intone:
‘I see an angel above your head …
and she’s taking you in her care.’
***
‘Yes,’ said Katherine, years ago,
‘You will sing and dance for the Goddess!’
I couldn’t believe, but it did come true.
I was the girl with no song in her voice,
I was the girl without dancing feet –
until I met the Goddess, and we embraced.
‘There are no mistakes here,’ said my sisters
in the Circle. That gave me freedom:
gradually gave me ease and grace and flow.
***
Now I hear myself singing in tune,
I watch my body move in the steps,
I see an angel near.
NaPoWriMo 2025, Day Twenty-Four.
'... write a poem that involves people making music together, and that references – with a lyric or line – a song or poem that is important to you.'
Sharing with Poets and Storytellers United at Friday Writings #179 : Starting over (Again and Again). This wasn't written for the prompt, but over the course of my life there have been many attempts at singing and dancing, repeated failures to achieve tune, rhythm, etc. – and many, many times of giving up ... but not quite forever. And finally, in my old age, it happens!
Loving your closure, Rosemary. I am not a good dancer but I could be. I had lessons way back in my first semester of college. I was taught all kinds of dances. I did go to dances until I met a steady (she ditched me after a year plus, her soldier like came home from the wars). Back in those days the singles would sit around the floor against the wall, waiting to be asked by Handsome to dance. "Wall Flowers"
ReplyDeleteI now tell folk, that if I become single again I would get a job on a cruise whip and dance with those lacking partners, or others also.
Jim here
"cruise 'ship'"
DeleteOh how well I remember all us single girls sitting around the wall waiting for someone – anyone! – to ask us to dance. Wallflowers were the ones who didn't get asked and so remained there. .Being shy and self-conscious as well as a poor dancer, I was often a wallflower. My first husband was a champion ballroom dancer, with cups and medals to prove it, and he could make me look and feel good on the dance floor. I think he found it quite hard work, and sometimes he liked to go off and dance with someone who could match him instead, which under the circumstances I didn't grudge him. (That was a very brief marriage, for other reasons.) That didn't however, mean I learned how to dance well with others. My second husband (and longest marriage) was as bad as me at both dancing and singing, so we faked it and/or made fools of ourselves together and had fun. (That one also broke up eventually, for reasons which had nothing to do with dancing or singing.) My dear third husband, Andrew, loved dancing and I think was quite good at it – but, not being an actual champion, could not much enjoy dancing with me, so we found other ways to spend our time and lived happily ever after, or at least until death parted us.
DeleteLovely post for the prompt.
ReplyDeleteMay we all keep dancing no matter what tunes life plays!
May our Guardian Goddesses/Angels watch over us.
Thank you! May it be so indeed.
DeleteI sing in tune. But it's seldom the one I am supposed to be singing in. Well done.
ReplyDelete*Giggle.* Thank you.
DeleteI've always loved to dance, though I'm only okayish at it. I love that you found your joy in the rhythm.
ReplyDeleteIt was pretty amazing after all this time! I always loved to both dance and sing, but in most of the past I was very, very private about it.
DeleteDance can be an exhilarating experience, and we must remember that we do it for ourselves first, and do it non-self-consciously (or is that not a word? You know what I mean! ;-)
ReplyDeleteWise words; you're absolutely right! Indeed, important to remember, and I promise I will.
Delete(And yes, I know you mean 'unselfconsciously'. We all get mixed up with our words occasionally, and it's best not get too self-conscious about that either but go ahead and say what we mean as best we can – rather than not get the message across. Thank you for doing so in this instance.)
This is so beautiful. I especially love the fifth stanza; It truly resonates.
ReplyDeleteThank you, I'm so glad you like it. And I hope you too have found your dancing feet, your singing voice and your guardian angel.
DeletePS Having now read your own poem for this prompt, I'm delighted to note that you have indeed.
Delete