Dancing Ina Fever Dream

I’ve not been here.  I’ll nearly 2 days.  This really happened.  Enjoy, I hope.  And you be wellM


Dancing in a Fever Dream

Ill.  From inside a fever. Asleep.  I 
Began to dream
That I was teaching a ballet class
Wherein I began to demonstrate
The four movement sets for the arms.

And, a sudden moment of deja vu
From a previous dream that may have come
During hours earlier, at the start of the fever,
During which I became  frustrated,
Unable to recall the  second set of motions  and 
Had turned over to some dream-free sleep,
But in today’s dream in fever,  I
Moved, again leading the class, suddenly
Exhilarated as I , motioning arms, had
A physical memory return of the most eloquent
Of the four: the second port de bras motion set.
In the dream, I did it to be sure of the recollection.

I started through the four steps, done to 
A count of eight...so, rais both arms,
1...2 as around a hoop forward.  Then,
3. 4,  Raise right arm up in an open, arc forward,
  With the left arm arced down behind.  Then
 5 - 6.  Is a great sweep to make the pose as a
Complete opposite, left arced up front, right to rear.
7.  A breath lifting chest and arms so slinky a raise, elan!
8.  Arms lower  down to sides, by thighs.

It was this I was teaching in my fever dream, 
Counting as I modeled the motions, so happy
I’d remembered, but in the long sweep of the 6 to 7,
I felt rough jostling as my name was shouted.
I’d been teaching, too, outside the fever dream :
A sleeping reality as if awake, by motions and voice,
With swaying arms and called numbers.

“That was weird,” my husband announced.
“Just really weird,” he pronounced: a word unliked.
It was a funny thing to happen, I thought.
And I was happy to realize from decades ago,
From deep in my mind, I’d brought forth again 
The 2nd port de bras, with the confidence
Of teaching once again.   A joy to know so!
Not “weird.”  Maybe “strange.”  I laid smiling.

—————————————————————
(c) sally Young eslingerP
Copyright © | Year Posted 2021


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Date: 2/1/2021 3:16:00 PM
Nice one Sally.. Dreams are like reality when we are there..We experience same feelings when awake..but sometimes they are hardly recalled..but you did well in this awesome poem..More power. Nice to read your works.
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Eslinger Avatar
Sally Eslinger
Date: 2/3/2021 12:11:00 PM
JCB! You’re so right, but oddly I never thought of putting the word Reality to the. They are! I told my friend how amazing it was to FEEL my chest expand in the deep breath, and FEEL my head falling back over my shoulder.Lots of dreams tasting foods. Thanks for your supportive words!
Date: 2/1/2021 9:08:00 AM
Whatever you call it it was a dream. Well written. ~~
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Sally Eslinger
Date: 2/3/2021 12:15:00 PM
Sir Victor! Another sweet comment! Thank you and I hope all is splendid with you this day!
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