Chicagoetry: Dancing With Men

DANCING WITH MEN
Remembering Neo

My blood would chill
And the micro-hairs
On the back of my neck
Would stiffen

Whenever the trill,
The sinister wobble,
Of the opening to
"She Sells Sanctuary"

Oozed ominously
From the mega-speakers.

One lady friend,
Now a professional dancer,
Took my hand insistently
And the game was on.

Sing:

Neo, Smart Bar,
Artful Dodger,

Exit, Octagon,
Club 950 (&

Let's don't forget
Lizard Lounge).

Now: unless you accompanied
A lady friend,
At the time,

You were dancing with men.

At the time,

My boys and I
Un-self-consciously
Made the scene
To go dancing.

We weren't cruising,
We weren't binge-ing.

We were dancing.

And if you intended
To dance with a woman
You'd better bring a friend.
It wasn't

That kind of dancing.
Once, at Smart Bar,
I asked a girl
Who, mid-dance,

Spontaneously shimmied
Into my space,
For a second dance.

And she laughed
In my face.

Like the time Gang of Four
Played Mabel's,
And a lithe red-head
Jumped into my space

And we danced to the pummeling
Bass of Ms. Sara Lee
Like Rogers and Astaire.
When the tune ended,

After she jumped
In my space,
I asked her name
And she laughed

In my face.

Unless you accompanied
A female friend
You were dancing
With men.

Sing: Neo, Smart Bar,
Artful Dodger,

Exit, Octagon,
Club 950 (&

Let's don't forget
Lizard Lounge).

And so you might
Bring a female friend
Who wouldn't come
Unless she knew

You could take care of business.
Which was nice.

Say: you haven't jitterbugged

Until you've jitterbugged
With a woman
Who could jitterbug

To "Lust for Life."

If it was "Temptation"
I'd be dancing with

Myself.
If it was "Rebel, Rebel,"
I was once again

Dancing with men.
Sing...

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J.J. Tindall is the Beachwood's poet-in-residence. He welcomes your comments. Chicagoetry is an exclusive Beachwood collection-in-progress.

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More Tindall:

* Chicagoetry: The Book

* Ready To Rock: The Music

* Kindled Tindall: The Novel

* The Viral Video: The Match Game Dance

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