dance 101
my husband George, in another man’s
arms who flings him, dips
him to the floor executing
a lovely tango George takes
the lead practices his moves,
guides the man through the steps
the music stops the dance instructor
looks at me your turn, let’s
see your stuff
I move in expect encircling
arms but he dances
me down the floor pushes his
hand against my hand moving backwards,
away from me as he guides me
forward at the end of the room we spin
around I go backwards he steps
forward guiding me back we glide
down the room easy with the instructor,
I think then it’s George and me on
the floor in the middle of a foxtrot
I trip over his feet you don’t lead
the man leads our instructor says a woman
never leads he praises George with
no further words for me when
I can’t stay quiet any more, I say
but I lead naturally I need more
signals the instructor tells me I’m
getting some, that I need to pick up
clues my partners body tells me—
his are too subtle, I say can’t
a woman ever lead? the instructor
shakes his head hour up he
tells us he’s leaving for upstate
New York—to help his brother
build a house we hear nothing
more, take no further
lessons George waits
for me I wait
for a teacher who will let me lead
From la forza di vita: caffeinated poems, edited by Bill Roberts and Karen Douglass
