Dancing With You

I danced with you tonight;
I felt your heart beat against mine,
felt your breath against my neck,
felt my body move in forgotten but oh, so familiar rhythms
     Born of a lifetime of dancing
                                      of living
                                      of loving.

I danced with you tonight;
I felt your pulse race against mine,
felt your hands on my spine
felt myself sinking into the melodies we sang long ago,
     Whispering to one another in the dark
                                                      in the day
                                                      in the end

I twirled in my full skirt,
and shed my shoes under the table,
while you, my love,
matched my steps from your heavenly dance floor
on feet no longer too painful for dancing.

We danced the way we did
     Before car accidents
     and hospitals
     and illnesses
     and wheelchairs
     ... and no more time to dance.

We danced in a way both old, and new

On different planes, in different spaces
Walking along different paths
Your heart against mine.

I danced with you tonight.
And because I did, I can go  on dancing.

I may stumble, or stub my toe, or miss a beat.
I may even need to sit out a song or two.

But I will dance.
Other arms may hold me
But your heart will beat against mine
Your pulse will race with my own.

Because tonight, I danced with you.