The Modern Muse of Dance
etymology of Terpsichore: “delight of dancing”
The Encyclopedia Mythica: “She is usually represented seated.”
the C curve head-tail connection
topheavy sinks her
parts humbly remove
their claims to purpose:
teeth (reprimand)
tongue
all funnels throughout
let her live
like a sack
holding heart clattering indignant, then drawling lazy, against the paper
heavy
part of removal
tonguing the remedies [Egyptian medicine] à la Telemachus
want to feel it
want it marked [in vertebrae] queueing up, taking toll
and read
form is content,
body-text.
she challenges the confines: she wilt
ed
into be ing
she sinks topheavy of connection
of head-tail
of curve
of C
of the parts humbly withdraw
their reclamations, on the goal:
the teeth reprimand all funnels
everywhere leave its phase like a bag considering the rattling of unworthy hearts,
speech of a voice trained then lazy, against heavy paper left
displaced to reprimand remedy to
want to feel to want to mark [in bone] to align upwards, take toll and read
form content, body text defies the confines that provoke her: it is withering, to be
Originally Published: Means of Access, Fall 2002