we dance (after A.O.C.)
Happy National Poetry Month from Stance on Dance!
BY RICHARD VARGAS; ILLUSTRATION BY CAMILLE TAFT
The poem was inspired by the video of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez dancing and the uproar it generated back in early January 2019. I feel we dance every day, unaware that we are using signature moves and rhythms embedded in our DNA. To dance is to be human.
~~
when we fold
warm sheets from the dryer
fabric stretched and pulled
between our moving figures
together stepping back
raising our arms and then
moving towards each other
slow and in synch
as the imperfect triangle
forms in our hands until
we are face to face
once again
when we drive
on the interstate
at night and the red lights
of the cars ahead begin
to float from one lane
to another then slow down
then speed up steady
and predictable
our instinct takes over
the trance of mind and body
reach out to the heavens
and joins the universe
expanding
when we walk
the crowded city streets
legs hips arms shoulders head
all move in rhythms embedded
long ago in our DNA
timid or bold
indifferent or cool
we saunter we stroll
individuals in a hive
of mass movement
the energy and heat
we create together
propelling us all
to the same
destination
~~
Richard Vargas received his MFA in Creative Writing from the University of New Mexico in 2010. He was the recipient of the 2011 Taos Summer Writers’ Conference’s Hispanic Writer Award, was on the faculty of the 2012 10th National Latino Writers Conference, and facilitated a workshop at the 2015 Taos Summer Writers’ Conference. His three books of poetry are McLife, American Jesus, and Guernica, revisited. He edited/published The Más Tequila Review from 2009-2015. Currently, he resides in Madison, WI.
2 Responses to “we dance (after A.O.C.)”
Once again, Rich, so glad you are sharing poems with us. This is beautiful and literally gave me shivers, of the non-covidiam kind.
Lovely!
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