Dancer Poem by GORDON GILHULY

she stands poised at centre

stage completely utterly

alone right arm raised bent at

the elbow as if protecting her head



dressed in a long black gown

naked

the music has not yet begun but

soon it will swell over and around her



the ultramarine of all oceans

ever to rise and fall ever to hold

to gently embrace it will swirl

her around in halcyon eddies bring



her to shore on a long beach of

small stones washed innocent by this

primal sun she is the moment

the smell of salt air and long



fingers of bladderwrack slowly

drying on rocks that called to

me lured me in the days I

do not remember when I was



a sailor and died on these very

rocks her arm loose but strong

as the Pillars of Hercules holds up the sky

as ignorantly blue as



infancy as untried love I

know this this moment this act of

brilliant sacrifice is my destiny now

is the divine separation



soon the music will begin

all will be lost

or gained