Monday, December 5, 2022

Poem for 12/5/22 - Matisse's Dance by Natalie Safir

 

Matisse’s Dance (1990)

Natalie Safir (1935-)

 

A break in the circle dance of naked women,

dropped stitch between the hands

of the slender figure stretching too hard

to reach her joyful sisters.

 

Spirals of glee sail from the arms

of the tallest woman.  She pulls

the circle around with her fire.

What has she found that she doesn’t

keep losing, her torso

a green-burning torch?

 

Grass mounds curve ripely beneath

two others who dance beyond the blue.

Breasts swell and multiply and

rhythms rise to a gallop.

 

Hurry, frightened one and grab on--before

the stich is forever lost, before the dance unravels and a black sun swirls from that space.


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