Pantoum For The Dancing Cranes Poem by Marieta Maglas

Exciting, jumping, bowing, and voicing
In jerky sequence, their deep possession,
And in the meadow, their high rejoicing
Reflect a sense of controlled aggression.

In jerky sequence, their deep possession
Engendering hope for a free future,
Reflects a sense of controlled aggression.
Their enthusiastic song sounds super.

Engendering hope for a free future
They have elegant and dramatic leaps.
Their enthusiastic song sounds super.
In wing-flapping dances, they play for keeps.

They have elegant and dramatic leaps.
They form pairs of a courtship ritual,
In wing-flapping dances, they play for keeps.
Paired for life, their love is perpetual.

They form pairs of a courtship ritual
Bowing and bobbing for fidelity.
Paired for life, their love is perpetual.
Their ballet shows grace and sincerity.

Bowing and bobbing for fidelity,
Red-crowned, they try to dance in the snow.
Their ballet shows grace and sincerity.
In the light, their movement is sweet and slow.

Red-crowned, they try to dance in the snow.
They are 'birds of happiness' in Japan.
In the light, their movement is sweet and slow.
In China, this dance is done by the man.

They are 'birds of happiness' in Japan.
Exciting, jumping, bowing, and voicing.
In China, this dance is done by the man.
And in the meadow, they are rejoicing.


Poem by Marieta Maglas