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I Shall Dance

I sense the onslaught of bitter times When rain and fog in my future lie, I shall hear the chapel steeple chimes And I shall think me near to die. Then, when I least expect the light, The sun bursts forth with radiance Clouds disappear in vaporous plight And I shall dance, yes, … I shall dance. Slip me through the stress of living The bad times come, I shall only glance, Sunshine bears not macabre misgiving And I shall dance, yes, … I shall dance. written February 25, 2022

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Deb M

Date: 2/25/2022 9:03:00 PM

Milton Milton Milton……what an absolutely beautiful poem which so touched my heart. Loved it!! Debx

L Milton Hankins
Date: 2/25/2022 9:25:00 PM

Well thank you, Deb. That's very nice of you to say!

Shirley Hawkins

Date: 2/25/2022 6:59:00 PM

Dance all cares away. I loved this, Milt. It reminded me of shall we dance from The King and I.

L Milton Hankins
Date: 2/25/2022 7:16:00 PM

Thanks, Shirley. I recall that scene, too, although I didn't have it in mind when I wrote this. I was thinking of the song, "I Hope You Dance."

Valsa George

Date: 2/25/2022 6:11:00 PM

"Then, when I least expect the light, The sun bursts forth with radiance Clouds disappear in vaporous plight And I shall dance, yes, … I shall dance." This is a wonderfully uplifting poem. In a few lines, you have expressed the angst of living and the hope of trampling them under and dancing in ecstasy over the sunny shores of life.

L Milton Hankins
Date: 2/25/2022 7:16:00 PM

Thank you so much, Valsa, for you have captured the very essence of my poem and shared it back with me! I appreciated that.

Jeff Kyser

Date: 2/25/2022 5:45:00 PM

you've got a gift there! keep dancing, within reach of the keyboard.

L Milton Hankins
Date: 2/25/2022 7:17:00 PM

Indeed, I will, Jeff. I will. "I hope you dance, too," Jeff.

Indiana Shaw

Date: 2/25/2022 2:49:00 PM

Aha, now I know why I feel the dance in each word, and within each line you write Milton, were your feet perhaps tapping also when you wrote this poignant poem, I wonder . . .

L Milton Hankins
Date: 2/25/2022 2:53:00 PM

(chuckling) There's a good possibility, Indiana. I use a leg exerciser while I'm at the computer, and sometimes it feels like I'm dancing! Thanks for the lovely comment.

Tom Cunningham

Date: 2/25/2022 1:28:00 PM

You brought to mind that scene from Zorba the Greek where Alan Bates asks Anthony Quinn to teach him to dance. Now I got that tune in my head. Tom

L Milton Hankins
Date: 2/25/2022 2:04:00 PM

Thanks, Tom. (chuckling) I suppose you'll be dancing to it, eh?

Swetha Vangaveti

Date: 2/25/2022 12:08:00 PM

So uplifting!!

L Milton Hankins
Date: 2/25/2022 2:04:00 PM

Thanks so much, Swetha, for your thoughtful comment.