the dancer

[Jerrybaldy]

The dance floor is lit beneath
By twilight primary colours
Sweat drops smeared by stilettos
Bacardi, high hopes
Flashing in the lights of three bells.
I have a tenner left
And a look in one of my eyes.
The lady with the red beret
Is fingering her highball.

I head to the gents
Same music pumping out
Whilst you piss.
Woman on the poster
Wants to talk sex.
I dance between urinal walls
The ceiling lights leave a trail
Like a plane enroute to Spain.
A bouncer in a bomber jacket
Chewing a Wrigley cud
Opens my door
Back to the dance floor.

Red beret smiles at my return.
I break into dance
"That's why they call me Mr Fahrenheit"
I am Travolta here.
There is no morning
No Monday
No mortgage
Just the medium of dance
And f uck me can I dance
I am amazed that the whole place hasn't stopped
Just to watch.
I am the man
Red beret is on my arm
She wants a piece of me.

Tattoo man wants her now.
My turn is done.
I offer him my nose
He crushes it like a limp red rose

Neon light says open
If you read it face down
In my puddle.
People walk by me
With double burgers in polystyrene.

Red beret is being screwed
By bloody knuckles
In her bedsit
Where she self harms
Each Wednesday
After Pilates at the gym.

I think I may sleep here
The water feels warmer now
The stars are out tonight
Pinpricked hopes in the black of night.

There's a distant beat.
I tap my toe in muddy water.
I do a pelvic thrust
" I wonder why
He's the greatest dancer"?

[Hawkman]

Jaundiced Jerry at his distopian best. I do wonder if some of the extended lines couldn't stand splitting with a line break, and I'm not sure whether "about now" couldn't be dispensed with altogether, though I doo like the alliterative rhythm of "about now by bloody knuckles." Jury's out on that one - could go either way. The last line is also a little incongruous in context. Is bloody knuckles the greatest dancer? He only sounds like the better fighter...

I remember those scenarios from prehistory, when testosterone fuelled competition for mating rights always resulted in the Neanderthal finishing ahead of the game. Why is it that the most desirable females eschew culture and learning in favour of brute force and ignorance? It's soooo depressing! The future of he species is assured, it'll just be living in caves :D

Strangely, dance seems to feature with great significance in the courtship of certain birds.

Live and be well - H

[Haunted]

Very colorful, risqué as always. The Jerry persona is unmistakable: I dance between urinal walls /
The ceiling lights leave a trail / Like a plane enroute to Spain. Love how you weave Red Beret into the poem... a couple, or what turned into a third wheel. So interesting!

[Jerrybaldy]

Thank you Hawk. I have acted on your pointers. The last line isn't in reference to tattoo man, it's meant to be the song N can hear as a distant beat to tie up the dancing theme :)

Thank you Haunted. I love that you referenced my persona using the bit in the urinal :D

[Haunted]

Thank you Haunted. I love that you referenced my persona using the bit in the urinal :D

Ohh it came out the wrong way but it was meant as a compliment ;). Self degradation belongs to you and me, WE own the genre!

love and kississ from this Trashy writer

[Jerrybaldy]

Thanks my fellow self destructive soul :) x

[AuntShecky]

Still the same strong voice, unfettered Whitmanesque (is that a word?) earthiness. But my God, where does all this stuff come from. I could drink drink after drink and nothing would come out of me that is anywhere close to what comes out of you. I'm envious in a way.

[Jack of Hearts]

Never a dull offering, Baldy. Forget it mate, she wasn't worth it.





J