It's a Slow Dance

It's a Slow Dance

The trees are posing majestically 

In a standing salutation

Reaching, reaching, limbs akimbo 

Spring has come this day.

The maples spark up to the sky

This is their time

Festooned in red

They proclaim the ancient revival.

The oaks are waiting for the sun

To coax their sap
To rise, to shine
To layer wood upon their girth
More patiently than the growth below;

Sassafras saplings gather green
While tangy spicebush stand in the damp
Dogwoods open, blush, and show
As daggered greenbrier ramble about,
All flashing bright and verdant bold
In their romance with our brightest star.

This is a dance your welcome to
The steps are slow, the pace is honest
To see them move and gambol about
Sit patiently, with open heart
Beneath a woodland tree.

-P. Sanderson

Blue Velvet

Out on a walk
The day after Christmas 2018
It shows itself brown and grey
Down here below
Blue skies and white clouds above
Gusts of arctic chill
And a quick flurry of flakes
Spins my memory back to winter and school.

Do you have memories of the Snowflake Swirl?
Twisted crepe paper slung from the basketball backboards.
Sawdust on the hardwood floor
Maybe 1963,
Semi-formal
I wore my Sunday blue suit with the skinny tie
And you swirled in shimmering chiffon
As Bobby Vinton sang “Blue Velvet.”
(and maybe the Beach Boys rocking “Surfin’ U.S.A?”
Or “Hey Paula” by Paul and Paula?)
Were they singing to me?

I wasn’t much of a dancer
But I would seldom pass up the chance for a slow dance
(thank you Bobby V.)
Seldom were the opportunities to hold your favorite girl
In your novice arms.
I think maybe Mr. Hutchison and Miss Mattis were chaperones.
I think they didn’t care to notice
If the dancer’s embrace was too close?
What was it, 6 inches?

Joyous laughter and nervous chatter
Found release in a fast dance
“Wipe Out” by The Surfaris, maybe?
And maybe a couple’s fight
Someone broke up
Someone else fell in love
And then the last dance
Was it "Our Day Will Come" by Ruby and the Romantics?
And then the magic spell was broken
At least for that Winter’s moment…

You were there, weren’t you?

And didn’t we dance?

Dance?

I’m somewhere between solitude and loneliness,
Can you help me?
This task will likely be burdensome since
I cannot teach you the steps to this dance,
Nor rule the hobgoblins
As they step forward fast
And then soon sashay and vacate
The dance floor.
Sometimes they are driven by a compelling beat,
Sometimes by an adolescent swoon,
Sometimes with no cause at all they
Come out to play,
Just cause.

So I need you to put on
That pretty dress,
You know the one,
And wait for me to take your hand
As I wait for the next ladies choice.
I think you know,
I think you know better than I.