the dance

it is a battle for ground

between you and I

a dance in 2/4 time
on a chequered board:

heel toe,

arm hand,

hand shoulder

toe toe

pirouette out

i dared

to speak the

truth

: not bury it in

tango with

you, our hips square

never               touching, your

hand on small of my

back, a r c h e d

my head turned           away from

you

so close…

it is a battle for ground

between you and I

a dance in ¾ time

a waltz with shoulders square

frame never broken

eyes     askance always

we dare not

look

i dared

to meet your

stare

as we spun

            across

a sprung

                 wood

            floor

:a lingering look

questioned the pain

you couldn’t

            touch

till shivering hands

let go of your

body, for fear they would love

your pain too

much

it is a battle for ground

between you and i

a dance in 4/4 time

breath

brushes bare

shoulder, your palm in small of back

you guide a

spin

and with eyes

closed, i find my way

back

still, i dared

to pull our unspoken
words into

the burning
light of a myriad mirror ball

r e f l e c t i o n s

                        falling

on

     your

                        face,

      hands and

   neck. and everywhere

your

feet rose and

fell, they were

met by the fear you

could not name

in

daylight

it is only

a battle for ground

between

you

and

i

but one of us

always dies

©Toni Stuart, Cape Town 2009 -2011