Poem "The Dance" by Hope Grace

Abandonment and Degradation
Intimately held hatred and animosity
Drawing my rapt attention
They danced on the edge of memory

Their dance was spellbinding
And my wrath did swell within
When suddenly I realized
I had been taken in

They circled themselves around me
And gripped each others hands
They sang to me their song
And encouraged me to dance

I began to sway slowly
To the hypnotic pulse they played
But soon surrendered fully
And danced my heart away

The movements were seductive
And I felt justified
For what could be more natural
This dance held my pride

Occasionally I'd notice
The song increase its beat
It soon overtook me
And I felt myself grow weak

Then I came to realize
My offences had stepped away
I was alone with hatred and animosity
Letting the music have its way

The rhythm soon consumed me
I was deafened by the sound
Animosity held fast to me
And hatred spun us round

I knew I'd lost control
Apprehension plagued each step
Till in fearful desperation
I cried, "Lord make it stop!"

The dance abruptly ended
My partners walked away
The music stopped mid stanza
The players ceased to play

I felt a weight upon me
A weight of untold pounds
It weighed so heavily on me
It pushed me to the ground

In exhaustion I lay limp
Upon the marble floor
I felt deceived and hollow
And longed for something more

The room echoed empty
When softly in the background
I knew I'd not been abandoned
For I heard a soothing sound

I glanced about the room
Looking for its source
It was then I saw forgiveness
Dancing with remorse

They held each other closely
As they elegantly swept by
I felt the breeze made by their passing
And I began to cry

The song they sang was different
Soothing and filled with peace
Its melody held healing
Its harmony held grace

When they heard me weeping
Compassion filled their stance
Forgiveness took my hand,
Remorse asked if I would dance

They each offered me their shoulders
To carry me along
And I wept with repentant sorrow
As the song played softly on

Abandonment and Degradation
Had not left the room
They joined this dance again
And grief gripped my womb

Their joining although painful
No longer incited wrath
And I learned to dance in peace
With the pain of the past