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Fiona  Jun 2020
Why We Dance
Fiona Jun 2020
I dance attached to the roots that grew before me.
I dance to call the rains, to nourish the seeds planted by my ancestors.
I dance in honor.

I dance to release the pain,
Injected in our veins,
Through centuries of violence.

I dance to feel what freedom is.

I dance to remind the ground we are here.
I dance to make imprints on the earth.

We dance to feel what freedom is.

We dance to conjure the energy to carry on.
We dance to communicate with the moon and the sun.

We dance to imagine our future.

A future where the poisons of division have been shaken away.
A future built where healing is the only way.
A future that feels like a dance.
A future that gives all of us a chance.
We must heal together and imagine a better future. Black Lives Matter.
Caitlin  Jan 2015
Dreaming of You
Caitlin Jan 2015
I close my eyes, letting my body succumb to glorious sleep.
My mind wandered.. always making its way to you.
I subconsciously smiled, the way I do when I think of you.
Your face appeared in my mind and I began to dream..

I was dressed in a green floor length ball gown,
With pairs of dancers all around me,
I grin up at my partner, a faceless man.
When the song ends, I slowly clap for the ensemble.

I glance down at the pearl colored dance card tied to my wrist.
A slow smile comes to my face,
I realize my next two dances belong to you.

As you make your way to me,
My eyes appreciate the suit that you're wearing,
Perfectly tailored to your lean and tall body.

You bow, I curtsy.
The Maestro cues the ensemble.
As a simple three step waltz begins,
You take my hand,
and I wrap my other one around your shoulder.
Your other hand gently holds my waist.
We dance, gracefully taking command of the dance floor.

One dance ends and another starts,
As you keep your hold on me,
I'm reminded that this dance belongs to you as well.
I glance at my dance card again
And I notice that my next dance belongs
To someone I'd rather not dance with..
The same man that my father wants me to marry.

You look flustered You say, taking in my slight blush.
I am. After this dance, will you accompany me to the refreshment table? I ask, looking into your light brown eyes.
Anything, my lady. You say and my next breath seems to disappear.

The dance sadly comes to an end,
And we both clap for the orchestra.
You hold you arm out for my arm and I grasp your elbow.
A man comes up to us,
Sir Daniel and Lady Emily. He greets us.
My Lady, Did you forget that this next dance belongs to me?
He asks of me, I slowly smile at him.
Sir Caleb, I did not forget but I am feeling flustered so Sir Daniel has offered to accompany me to the refreshment table. I stated as gently as I could.
But what about our dance, My Lady? He questioned, glancing at Sir Daniel.
As soon as I feel better, I am yours to take to the dance floor, I'll even dance two with you. I state, and quickly regret my words.
Wonderful, My Lady he said and bowed, took my hand and kissed my palm, I look forward to it.
I felt you stiffen next to me as Sir Caleb kissed my palm.
Come, My Lady, and lets get you some wine. You stated.
I grasped your elbow once again and led me to the buffet.
You walked toward it and the servant poured two glasses of white wine.
You handed me one of them,
How is it possible that you look more flustered than you did a few minutes ago? You ask me.
You know why. I stated. I glanced up at you, you smiled.
Yes, I do, Would you like to get some fresh air. You said with a double meaning in your words.
Your eyes search mine, wishing, wanting me to say yes.
Gladly. I think the fresh air will do me good, especially now.
I state, earning a smile from you.

You offer me your arm and I grasp it.
You lead me toward the double doors,
That lead out to the Balcony and gardens.
A butler opens one for us, and you gesture for me to walk through.
I walk toward the end of the balcony and breath in the cool crisp air.
You follow me, and stop a little short of where I'm standing.
Tell me, My Lady, What's troubling you so? You ask me.

I turn to face you and sadly smile,
Sir Caleb, the gentlemen that was next on my dance card; Is the man that my Father wants me to marry.
You walk toward me, Have you tried to reason with him? Told him how you feel?
I laughed. Reason isn't a part of my father's vocabulary. Believe me, I've tried, But Sir Caleb is a business partner that my father wants to add on to his company. It's never a matter of love for him.
You sadly smiled and said, What about your parents? They are clearly in love. Wouldn't your mother be in object to this?
No, actually. My Mother was a product of an arranged marriage too, She just fell in love eventually.
Oh, But I won't fall in love with Sir Caleb, I cant!
I cry.
Come with me, I don't want to attract any more attention. You whisper in my ear, and you lead me down to the steps that lead down to the garden and to a bench, far enough away from the party still inside.

Now tell me, mademoiselle, Why you simply cannot marry, this Caleb? He seeming alright when I met him in the ballroom.
I though about the question You just asked.
How do I go about answering that?
I..I just know I cant. For...
For what? You urged.
For I'm in love with someone else. I said, panicking.  
You stiffen again, beside me.
Well, whoever it is, I swear, they better treat you right, Or they will regret it.  
You said those words with such conviction, that my heart welled up with even more love than I thought humanly possible.
That would a little bit strange I said, knowing that I couldn't turn back now.
I reached for your hand and grasped it.
You looked down at our intertwined hands and glance at me
Your eyes search mine as you slowly fit the pieces together.
You open your mouth to say something and change your mind and close it again.
You eyes continue to search mine while your other hand reaches up to grasp my cheek.
My dear Emily, I've dreamed of this day, where I could finally hold you.
Daniel, so have I.
And with that confession, you slanted your lips on mine. I reached up with my other hand and ran it through your brown hair.
I closed my eyes as the joy of kissing you runs down my body.
Your hand grazes my cheek, and slowly moves down to my neck. you grasp my neck as if you never want to end the kiss.
We pull apart only because we need to breath.
If we hadn't needed to breath, we would have never stopped.
I look at you, Your breathing hard, just like I am.
I pull you back toward me, this time it's me controlling the kiss.
Although, You fight me for dominance.
I know I should have thought of the possibility of being caught, of being thrown out of society.
But the only thought that was in my mind, was that I'm finally kissing you , and that know that I have You, I'm not letting you go.
You move your hand down to my waist and I untwine our hands to move mine to your neck and my other one down your broad chest.
You moan and hold me tighter to you.
You bite my lip and I gasp, allowing you to slip your tongue in my mouth, and if I thought that that kissing you was pleasure enough the feeling of your tongue on mine, was exhilarating.
Your hand starts to make swirls on my lower back and the pure sensation of it all is more than I can handle.
I regretfully pulled away.
You look down at me and smile.
Your lips are swollen, but why'd you pull back?
Because if I didn't we wouldn't have been able to stop, and you might have needed to marry me to protect my reputation. I smiled.
That wouldn't have been a problem
Those words hit me at my core and I swear my heart stopped beating.
Does that mean that you feel the same way I do? That I'm not dreaming this?
If anything,  My Emily, I love you more than the heart possible can.
And I love you to the moon and back, from infinity and beyond.
You kissed me again.

And with that, I woke up. My alarm clock blaring in my ear.
I groan, wanting to return to dreamland, where you'd finally be mine.
But, alas, I must enter reality where I must go back to simply being your shadow and being invisible.
I sigh, and close my eyes allowing myself a few more minutes in dreamland.
Not what I normally write but the idea just came to me. and then I couldn't stop writing. Hope you like it.
Katelyn Jun 2010
Dancing is a way of life, dancing is life. Some say you crawl before you walk, I say you dance before you breathe. How do I explain the feeling of; spinning, jumping, running? I can’t. It is indescribable. Dancing is such a magical thing, you can speak to the people who can’t speak, and you can feel for the people who can’t feel, you dance for the people whom will never be able to dance. Most don’t understand where I am coming from. Why I am not sure, but if a person stopped and listened. They will hear the music of life and where there is music there is a dance, the dance of life…

This dance may be one of the hardest to get through; the preparation will be excruciatingly painful. But everyone does it. Everyone hears the music at some point. Have you ever listened to Beethoven? In his symphonies there is a pattern. It starts out slow; it gradually gets louder and louder and then BOOM! The ******. Beethoven’s master pieces are a replica of life. Think about it, really hard, and listen to the music.

Can you feel your foot tapping? The sound repeating in your head? This is the first realization of the dance. Now your swaying back and forth, like the trees in an autumn breeze. This is the second step, but the first motion. I want you to get up and throw the tips of your fingers to the stars in heaven. Then pull them back down. And breathe.

What is it that you feel? Perhaps relaxation or maybe happiness, possibly anger or frustration? Whatever you feel don’t let it go away. The feelings you get when you dance show the audience that you are human. Like all humans you will make a mistake you will fall, you will trip, you will tumble to the floor of the stage. That means nothing and don’t let anyone tell you differently. It means nothing because, without those mistakes there will be nothing to improve.

Improvements. Simple things that can change your dance. Keep your arms firm and your head held high. Your arms are the roads to your heart. You let them slack and fall, your heart gets crushed. Try holding a friends hand to keep them firm. Your friends will always be there through this dance. Don’t let your head drop for you head is the door to your mind. If you let someone in you lose personality. Your dance becomes someone else’s. Those are the only things you can mess up, but for some reason these mistakes happen more than once.

In the end when the music stops and the crowd cheers at your achievements. You know that your dance has made an impact maybe in more ways than one. Dancing is a way to communicate to show who you are. So when you hear the music, start tapping your foot, sway back and forth and, dance. Dance just not for you but for the people that can’t. That is the dance of life. Your life.
This is not a poem just somthing i wrote i would love comments!!
dance for me
dance like death is at your throat
she kisses it softly
fingers through your hair
your undergrowth scent

dance for me
dance like death knows all the moves
hold her hands and
sway to the music
the blaring of trumpets

dance for me
dance like death is your only friend
she kisses your forehead
fingers between your legs
the look of the devil

dance for me
dance like death waits everywhere
look for her always
crawling up your spine
licking your neckskin

dance for me
dance like death wants to *******
irresistible lips
latched on to your ****
******* your love dry

dance for me
dance like death is all you know
she will show fire
smoke in her black eyes
taking you home love
Aztec Warrior  Sep 2015
POEM 45
Aztec Warrior Sep 2015
HUMAN HISTORY 2: LET'S DANCE
(A few words of acknowledgement: While these are my ideas and thoughts, I drew heavily on the story of 'Waterlily', written by Ella Cara Deloria. The discussion between the two Sioux women described below are drawn from this book. Her book beautifully details the life of 2 Dakota Sioux women and with them the customs, beliefs and beauty of the Dakota Sioux people. I am deeply in her debt.)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'Let's dance.
Lets dance.
Put on your red shoes and dance the blues.'
-D. Bowie


I.
'Hao, Kola!'
'Hao, Kola!'
Greetings between two
darkly tanned men, black hair
long and waving erratically in the wind,
their deep black eyes smile
and embrace these two warrior friends.
'Hao, Kola!'

II.
Out in the open prairie,
under an intense blue sky,
a few sharply white clouds
float in contrast against it;
two Peoples drew towards
each other for a ceremonial sing,
as was customary before the Great Sun Dance.

Ill.
'Hokahe'. 'Hokahe'.
'Hokahe'. 'Hokahe'.
Dakotas and Omahas meet.'
Hokahe' floats on the fresh morning breeze.
Colorful war standards wave and
flirt about gracefully.
The Omahas have come to sing.
The Omahas, proud, magnificently bold.
The Omahas, self assured in painted red face,
wearing heavily fringed buckskin white,
brilliantly adorned.
With war standards and lances held high,
the Omahas were a breath taking sight.
As there on the prairie's lush green grass
Omahas greet Dakotas with ceremonial song.

IV.
Two Dakota women overheard talking:
Blue Bird: 'You met them?! What are
white people really like?
Are they gentle, kind, as their
skin would imply?'
Smiling One: 'No, they are very hard, very
stern and dull towards each
other. They pass each other without
recognition. Very unmannerly.'
Blue Bird: 'And what about the children?
How do they play?'
Smiling One: 'Oh, this is so sad I would
say. I don't understand the
reasoning behind their ways.
These people actually detest
their children. You should see
them; slapping their little one's
faces and lashing their poor little
buttocks to make them cry!
Yelling and screaming at them
anytime of the day. I have never
seen children treated this way!!'
Blue Bird: Deep in thought, hugs little
Water Lily. She feels sick with
sympathy for these unknown
children. Only crazy people
teach their children like this.
What makes white people act so crazy?

V.
The Sun Dance time has arrived.
All the different Peoples, Tribes.
The Dakota, Teton, Omaha
make good on their vows
to the Great Spirits,
renew the hopes of their families
for peace and plenty from the land.
And they danced.
Looking straight into the sun,
because they knew it was what made them one
with the world and each other.
And they danced.
Time itself was lost in the sun
and new life was begun.
And they danced.
Danced around and sacrificed on
the clean cut pole,
blessed and made holy
just for this ceremony.
And they danced.
Till the sun was thrice Earth eaten
and moon time rose full in the sky.
But now on a different scene
and a People from so long ago,
who in their naked skin,
danced and howled at the moon.
Howled at the dead and the living.
Howled and danced,
danced and howled cause they were human.

VI.
Alone,
orbiting on this blue-toned Earth
I want to ask:
When will we, today’s humans dance?
Dance in global community?
Dance on the lush green grassy plains?
Dance on high hillsides, howling at a full, lush moon?

VII
'Let's dance.
Let's dance.
Put on your red shoes and dance the blues...'

~~written 10.1.98~~
this poem was written a long time ago.. I think it still holds up.
The Terry Tree Oct 2014
Will you dance with me?
Even in the stormy seas
Will you dance with me?
Let our spirits soar and swing
Can we hold on
While letting go
At the same time
Of everything
Throwing our cares
Like brilliant kites
Into the wind
Watch the sunrise
Never looking back
Again
Watch the sunset
Our inhibitions
Free to
Bend
Will you dance with me?
Illuminating

Follow me into the sky

Reaching out beyond the top
Our hands are linked
We cannot stop
Can we spin
And fall
And sink
Can we glide
And blaze
Within the blue
Twisting and turning
Like eagle lovers
Often do

Will you dance with me?
Let our inhibitions chime
Across the heavens
A storm of flames
All brilliant-like
We are
The sound
Of lightening
As we
Tango through the stars
Exploring galaxies
And Mars
There is no limit
To how far
We will frolic
In our waltz
The universe
Is ours

Will you dance with me?
Vibrate from head to toe
Rhumba and foxtrot
With our hearts
Whirl and sway
A feather dance
Of native love
In
Every
Way

Will you dance with me?
Can we spin
And fall
And sink
Can we glide
And blaze
Within the blue
Oh, how I want to be
Twisting and turning
Here with you
Like eagle lovers
Often do

Will you dance with me?
A dance for all time
A samba, a strut
A step where
We unwind
Releasing our fears
Painting our tears
Watching the sky
Become the canvas
Of our eyes
No longer
Dreaming
Of your
Spirit
Catching you
Catching me
Catching you
Eternally

Dance with me...

tHE tERRY tREE
Dance to your shadow when it's good to be living, lad,
Dance to your shadow when there's nothing better near you.
Dance to your shadow when it's fine to be living, lad,
Dance to your shadow when there's nothing better near you.
            ** ro haradal, hind* ye haradal,
            ** ro haradal, hind ye han dan.

Dance to your shadow when it's hard to be living, lad,
Dance to your shadow when there's nothing better near you.
Dance to your shadow when it's sore to be living, lad,
Dance to your shadow when there's nothing better near you.
           ** ro haradal, etc.

Dance to your shadow, letting Fate to her fiddle, lad,
Dance to your shadow when there's nothing better near you.
Dance to your shadow, for it's fine to be living, lad,
Dance to your shadow when there's nothing better near you.
            ** ro haradal, etc.

                                                    
*Pronounce like English " hind."
KENNETH MACLEOD

— The End —