shadow waltz

On her way, now, to the ball
her new white dress
floating across the air

The wealthier men with dropping jaws

Take numbers, take bets, on

who takes her hand, now
bowing, chivalrous..
She’s the gal who did it first
let her hair out, flowing free, now
Wine splashed velu, soft and crimson
says but one thing to the men in prison -
- visible from the city streets
“Tonight’s the night I come alight and he who asks me first just might…”
So those men who live alongside rats, luck abolished, ill-starred, unpolished

Clink their cans and drinks, demand!
“will it be me who might?”

..not quite
Soon, the moon receives the night,
or did the night receive moon’s light?
The chariot, O, sweet chariot
it practically sings it’s way along
stops for seconds, as do the cheers
She steps on,
so elegant, now
then disappears
the clinking bars cease clinking
the miner’s all go back to work
she arrives at midnight
her eyes dazzling in the lamplight
at the ball, now, she takes her caller’s arm
they dance a shadow waltz
until the music halts
and those tear-jerking strings
release all the tears
in the room
and she lies her head on his shoulder.

Author's Note

A bit of a mix of the classic and the modern, inspired by a song, of all things

Reviews

[Girl Friday (Sarah W.)]

Lyrical indeed... I like the idea of this one. Reminds me a bit of Marie Antoinette...one of those classic ladies that didn't give a damn about consequence; a true pioneer in many ways. I like your imagery and your flow.