Danni

I’d watched Danni dance for months
And would ask her two, or three, times a night
To dance with me to the slow groovy songs
And sometimes the fast-jazzy swing-out ones

I’d ask her two, or three, times a night
Most nights she would ask me too
Sometimes to the fast-jazzy swing-out ones
But I’ve only ever really talked to her in dance

Most nights she’d ask me too
And last Sunday was MLK weekend
Though we’ve only really ever talked in dance
Last Sunday she let me buy her a drink and

Last Sunday was MLK weekend
Which meant I did not work in the morning
She let me buy her a drink and
Then I let her take me home

I didn’t have to work in the morning
For the last song we drank and danced in words
And then I let her take me home
She didn’t have her sons until Tuesday

In her kitchen we drank and danced in words
We moved to the couch, moved in close and
She didn’t have her sons until Tuesday
We laid down on her couch and danced close

Moving and dancing on the couch and
Then I asked her if she wanted to dance until we sleep/slept
Asked her while we were laying and dancing close
She said thank you, but I’d like to sleep alone

She wanted to dance more and longer, but not to sleep
We danced more and longer and I asked her one more time
She said thank you but I’d like to sleep alone
I said thank you for the dance, I’ll let you sleep alone

She danced me to the door I asked to kiss
She kissed me one and twice and three to end
I said thank you for the dance I’ll let you sleep alone
She said you’re welcome and you have a good night then

Went home think through those nights
I’d watched Danni dancing for months
Touched a finger to my lips thinking
We’d danced to slow and groovy songs

Cid Galicia is a Mexican-American poet, and teacher, who has lived in New Orleans for the last ten years. He is also currently working towards his MFA in Poetry through The University of Nebraska at Omaha.