Poem: Dance Through the Dark

By Cathy Hollister

Volpony, Volpony, now hushed dance floor
lacks hug and heys,
wants honoring curtseys,
that give breath to step

like so many lonely displaced from their own
the dancers turn single
thoughts into stories
songs into Chorus
Jigs into glee

the pews miss their faithful,
stores long for lost shoppers,
starving cafes and
silver screens, silent
all wonder how humans
tucked Far Away,
thrive in the absence of life’s do-si-do’s
and hands touching hands
giving moments of kindness

St. Margaret watch over,
cast down from your Hill
fresh light washed in solace
warm Zephrys and Flora

for all who endured
Bleak Midwinter alone
hear music of caring,
make Dance of a Lifetime,
seek pale light of morning
just on the horizon

Cathy Hollister is a retired public health consultant and educator who lives in middle Tennessee. She loves both contra and English country dancing and in the last year has become a regular ECD online caller for Nashville Country Dancers. She was a finalist in the Ageless Authors 2020 Coping with Crisis writing contest. Her work has been in Smoky Blue Literary and Arts Magazine, Corona Global Lockdown, published by Poet’s Choice, and La Concha of the American Pilgrims on the Camino.