for that girl at a concert in 1968*

she shed her clothes
in a moment's abandon
and danced naked
before the swaying crowd

she was young
she was beautiful
she was a vision
of possibility

she must be
approaching 70 now

she is someone's
grandmother

she spends her days
in sweats feeling her
knee replacement ache

were she to suddenly
dance naked in public
her children
would commit her

still, sometimes
in her secret heart
she imagines
doffing her clothes
and twirling
once again
within the music
of a more generous time
before her world
was damaged beyond
recovery

she imagines,
but she doesn't

   ~mce