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.)”

  1. Merimee Moffitt

    Once again, Rich, so glad you are sharing poems with us. This is beautiful and literally gave me shivers, of the non-covidiam kind.

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