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June Lakelight Swing
by
Phyllis Wax


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This is a night to slip on dancing shoes
and tap tap tap your way to the middle
sidle, sidle back

Slip on dancing shoes, this is the night
to slip, to slide
in dancing shoes, prancing
shoes, to slip, to slither, to glide

This is the night to tap tap tap
on the glittering lake
out to the middle and
up the dark wall of
night

Now is the time to kick off your shoes
wiggle your toes
slap bare feet on cool moonglow
on brassy notes
on tin pan notes, on jazzy razzmatazzy
notes

Slither into a cool white nightie
and sidle, sidle back
Take a running glide, then one slick stride
to the tip top
of the night

Aphrodite in a nightie
swoop and glide
act slightly flighty
slip and slide
take the ultimate leap
wrap your arms round the neck of the moon
swing over her shoulder and
down

This is a night to tip
toe up the path, hip
hop up the path
tip toe up the bright-lit
path, up the spotlit path
up the hot-lipped path

to her beaming face
to swing swing swing
from her porcelain neck
glide down her silvery slide
slide down her glittery glide

to cool lake water
lit up by her one-eyed stare

This poem first appeared in Free Verse (November/December 2003).
Used here with the author's permission.


Phyllis Wax writes in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on a bluff overlooking Lake Michigan.  A lover of warm weather, she watches the snow come and go, waiting and hoping for spring. From the window in front of her desk, she observes an abundance of migrating birds, several generations of turkeys, and the occasional fox, deer, and raccoon. Some of those make their way into her poetry. Phyllis has read her poems on the radio, in coffee shops, in libraries and bars, and her work has appeared in numerous journals and anthologies.

 


Post New Comment:
KevinArnold:
Such uniquely female images . . . and the wordplay . . . thank you.
Posted 06/10/2011 11:23 AM
lindaannwillis:
What wonderful imagery. Makes me want to put on my dancing shoes and wrap my arms around the neck of the moon.
Posted 06/10/2011 10:31 AM
Linda Lee (Konichek):
Phyllis, I have always loved the sensual imagery in your poetry, and this is one of the best, if not the best. What a treat for someone who loves poetry and dancing! Thank you!
Posted 06/10/2011 09:23 AM
Reganz:
This is such a great poem to read out loud. I have no idea if there will be moonshine from the sky tonight, but with your words in my head it's already there.
Posted 06/10/2011 09:17 AM
dotief@comcast.net:
This poem makes me think of "Moondance." Maybe the moon just brings that joy out in all of us!
Posted 06/10/2011 08:57 AM
tannerlynne:
Oh My! This is just how I feel when I go out into the light of a full moon filtering through the trees and bouncing off the pool. Thank you. LST
Posted 06/10/2011 07:31 AM
jeanie:
wooo! i can see it all, you wild woman!
Posted 06/10/2011 06:54 AM
Gary Busha:
"Aphrodite in a nightie" is what I'll remember. Thanks Phyllis.
Posted 06/10/2011 05:34 AM
Janet Leahy:
love dancing up the dark wall of night exquisite thanks
Posted 06/10/2011 05:30 AM


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