Sleepwalk

by

Philip Red Eagle

---

-for Deirdre

Santo and Johnny
I said

Who?
She said

You know
Slow dance
Sleepwalk
I swayed

Her eyes looked up
Smiled
Her head saying
No

Here
I'll show you
I said

Grabbed her
Pulled her in
Bad fit
Wrong feel
I thought

No fingers
On the back of my neck
No hand
Draped on my shoulder

Something wrong
I said

Feels nice
She said

No
Not it
I said

You know
Before Kennedy
Before Nam
Before King
You know

How old are you?
I said
Oh
I said

It's hard to say
You know
I said
She shrugged

You know
Before Beatles
Before Stones
Before Hippies
You know

Her eyebrows raised
Her head
Saying
No

You know
I said

I was slow like this
I swayed again

Thighs locked together

No Two-step
No Swing
Just move
As one

Twirl
Stare at the ceiling
Feel
The feel

You know
Before the Twist
Before the Swim
Before the Monkey
You know

She smiled
Tilted head
Saying
No

You know
Taut bellies
Hip on hip
Breast on chest
Hand in the small of back
The feel
You know

Before

Before everything
Went to Hell

Her eyes looked up
Smiled

Her head saying
No

Santo and Johnny

You know
Sleepwalk

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© 1998 Philip Red Eagle

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