like a dancer

When you were a child your mother thought,
As mothers sometimes do,
that you were strong enough and sure enough to someday be a dancer.
But when you were five or was it six or was it nine
You didn't want to dance,
you couldn't bear to dance
Unless you were dancing in the grass,
and dancing in the mud
as children often do as children often do.
And then your father kicked to you a ball.
And the ball was the shape of the whole wide world to you.
And now if you see green you can only think of one thing to do.
And the world slips away from your feet.
And the sky slips down into your arms.
And you are free you are free
you are absolutely free to be who you want.
To go where you can.
To be wild to be loud to fly in the mud and run in the rain.
Strong Enough.
And Sure Enough.
Like A Dancer.
July 1993