Moroccan Taqsim

4 years old
Firebird by Stravinsky
My favorite song to dance
big sounds for little feet
Mom makes me a ballet costume

I love dancing alone
improv to music — my way
I love dancing
With a partner who gently
Guides me to heaven

Belly dancing
In Moroccan nightclubs
I’m over 55
Afraid to tell the truth about my age

Beaded costumes
Silk, veil, tablas, running riffs
Belly dancing
Wine and dine into the night
Euphoria and getting paid

A struggling
Modern dancer, with an MFA in dance
Unneeded…
Working as a belly dancer
My highest paying job

                        Photo by Jim Brewer