Quick

My mamma used to go dancing on Fridays

She would spend extra time putting on lotion after the shower

curl her hair
and let me pick out her top
She would tie us to the hip of a babysitter and
bribe our good behavior with pizza money

Other times she would corral us into an old beat-up brown Toyota
and haul us downtown to the park with free TGIF concerts
and cheap Miller Lite
She would slide out of her shoes and dance with us
in the grass while the late summer sun kissed the river good night
She would twirl us until we fell
dizzy and giggling into the backseat
half asleep before we even got home

I still believe that women are the most beautiful when spinning

outside

And people always talk about the music making them feel
but the best music makes you move
Alters your senses
Inhibits inhibitions and weaves you into nights that will leave
you pondering your ability to drive home responsibly
Nights where boot soles meet floor and tap out familiar patterns
Where hips sway like infinity signs left to right and back and forth
Where eye contact is an invitation
and strangers become partners who already know the steps

So quick
before we run out of time or worse
discover more time to think things through
and change our minds
Let's dance
Let's dance like it is Friday night
and the sun is sinking into the river
Dance like you just broke up with your boyfriend
and moving your feet is just another way to move on with your life
Dance like your body is cymbal
heart pounding to chest

Let's dance like white people when they hear disco
Point finger to floor then sky freeze then hustle
Let's break-dance
wiggle worm and spin like teacups at
an overpriced theme park
Let's dance like single mothers
family able to have a night on the town
Let's reenact scenes from Footloose and Flash Dance
Let's dance like strippers when they know the rent is due
Let's dance like the boys don't even know your real neme
Dance like you aren't going home alone tonight

Let's dance
like you are listening to your favorite band play live
at a free outdoor concert
with grass between your toes
a beer bottle in your left hand
and some fine tall man
twirling you under the stars
making you suddenly beautiful

(c)Cheryl "Snow" White

published in Skipping Stones 2007