Not a Dancer

Time tapped my shoulder.
"No, thank you", I said
"I'm not a dancer."
But it took the lead anyway
Dragging me into a waltz
With my memories
In the twirling swirl
Of mind, body, and shadow
As the evening sun went down

I remember spinning, mostly.
Exhausting my balance
While twisting with my dreams
Into phantom forms
Impossible to hold
As though I could
keep time as it passes
Yet I'd just jitter on anyway
Until the jig was up

Except now I'm out of step
And time swings backwards
As often as it foxtrots ahead
Leaving me spotting in a daze,
Eyes down and arms raised
Slipping into a pattern of
Tripping through the simplest
Of two-step plans, scuffed
Routines of breaking away

And when, stumbling, I fail
To finally stick the landing
And night has moved in
To take its place
Time will have moved on
Leaving me standing
With my hands in my pockets
But that's alright, as I said
I'm not a dancer