Ribbon Dancer

Photo: Tyler Lastovich

≈ribbon≈ d a n c i n g≈. mother never took me. ‘til twelve. too old for heavy heels on marly. we only learn to walk in sneakers. body rhythms offbeat from palpitations, or are those stars swimming in the arteries, single-legged flamenco in the night when moon eyes w i d e n over bodies crouched waiting for the ≈ribbon≈ to dance. but the ≈ribbon’s≈ not a ribbon at all when we dance in the dark, my two legs her four t∫w∫i∫s∫t∫i∫n∫g as we topple into carpet pawing the ≈ribbon≈ we think is a mouse.