Framed on my wall hangs the black and white photograph
of a dancer dashing with plucky aplomb bare of foot
her head tossed back looking ever up and onward
one arm akimbo, the other flung gracefully back
her short dancer’s costume flouncing flying behind.
An impulsive purchase on my part a thing that symbolized
my spirit at the time, my plan to throw off my fears
send my hopes and wishes out into the wide world
and see, once and for all, what might come.
And so I’ve done, with that unknown dancer
on my bedroom wall reminding me of that
devil-may-care frolic that lives inside of me.