jdubqca

poetry by j matthew waters

Archive for the tag “dancing”

12 Jan 2023

czech village shuffle


it was cool at the microbrew
vinyls playing on turntable
jazz & blues & some rock & roll
streaming from the speakers
hanging from the ceiling

they take requests
or you can bring your own
tracks piped into the adjacent room
imbibers waltzing & grooving
to the likes of anyone’s guess

they say it’s the place to be
as long as the lights are low
—the barrels all aflow
hands & feet shuffling in & out
of the [corner] revolving door





january two thousand twenty-three
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved

Posted in In the City, Poetry and tagged , , , , | Leave a comment
23 Apr 2016
3 Comments

Universally Dancing


Spring is here and spring shall stay
like precious childhood memories
lingering in the background
forever reminding you
nothing ever really grows old

Green is not quite the same
as the green of spring
emerging anew from the thaw
like an arm reaching out
requesting to be waltzed away


april two thousand sixteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved

Posted in Nature, Poetry and tagged , , ,
23 Mar 2015
8 Comments

One Summer in Vienna


The last time we danced in Vienna
the stock market had yet to crash
and the very idea of Austria as her
very own state seemed preposterous

Though a Yankee I spoke perfect German
both in and out of
pubs and proper places
quick to blame my loving Mother when
questioned about my presence

I remember you telling me Vienna would
never be harmed
because you said
she represents the soul in everyone

I remember you telling me
the foundation era would blossom into
a flower of unimaginable artistry and peace

I believed everything you told me
just like it was yesterday

Detained for questioning for what I believed
had everything to do with your talents
how could it be I would never see you again
left to search your peaceful streets
as the world around us
descends into chaos




march two thousand fifteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved

Posted in In the City, Poetry, War Poems and tagged , , , , ,
16 Oct 2013
6 Comments

Dances with leaves


I stood looking out the window
at a small pile of leaves
I had raked and forgotten about

Damn I thought
I can’t believe I left behind this pile of leaves

It was then as I had these thoughts the wind
came out of nowhere
hitting the pile of burnt colors
and sending them high into the air

Hey honey I yelled
you’ve got to come see this
the leaves are dancing

Crosswinds continued lifting the
leaves higher than eye level
twisting them into a stream of
irregular circular motion
fully fluid yet shapely
as if produced by a child
playing spirograph on a table

Hey honey I yelled
you’ve got to come see this

This time she leaned her head back
and turned her neck my way

What is it she asked – I’m reading

The leaves are dancing I said
you’ve got to come see this

First there was a pause as the
leaves continued to dance
and then there was closure


october two thousand thirteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved

Posted in Nature, Poetry and tagged , , , , , , ,
24 Aug 2013
13 Comments

those shoes


she wore them only
on special occasions
and every time I saw them
I just wanted to slip them off her feet
and take her upstairs

but alas that was just a wish
and we paraded into town
high heels and all
the center of attention
every place we ventured

wickedly well rested
we danced into the night
tearing down disco walls
and cutting beale street rugs
deep inside memphis


august two thousand thirteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved

Posted in Poetry and tagged , , , , , , , , ,
10 Nov 2012
6 Comments

shadow dancing


one hour past midnight
the clock tapped me on the shoulder
and i opened my eyes
laying there in the dark
staring at the wall coming to life
with silent apparitions dancing to the rhythm
of the outside breeze
which filtered into the room
slightly chilling my hands and feet

i was too scared to move
and wondered if the time had come
to travel with the company
wondered if the players
would pull me out of the bed
and carry me away out through the window
into the never-ending night
where i would become a shadow
dancing on someone else’s wall



november two thousand twelve
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved

Posted in Dreams, Poetry and tagged , , , , , , , , ,
27 Aug 2012
4 Comments

children of the light


we danced in the rain
beneath the streetlamp
our minds drifting
past the invisible moon
into carelessness

we lived in a place
without birth or death
a visual paradise
where angels in the sky
longed to touch down

at night we chanted
for the moon and rain
to call the children
hiding beyond the light
to dance
and dance again



august two thousand twelve
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved

Posted in Dogma, Poetry and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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