The Winthrup Hill Dance



The summer loved us then,
wind and woodthrush clicking
in the knee high grasses;

but now it is October scattering
in the reeds, and needles
of broken pine pinch the wet ground.

In red faced memories, the lighted
edges of the dance hall fold
into the curves of an old wet wood,

a rush of papered stairs empties
into a bumbling river of boys
leaning on their crooked bow ties

and wine colored songs toss
themselves like shipwrecked water
over the curling shapes of curious dances;

but the place where your shoulder falls
and your stare rises to continue,
the slick haired boys are careful not to look.



words © 2000 Brock Bowman
image © 2000 Jon Reischl