The Magic of the Foot

“Think of the magic of that foot, comparatively small, upon which your whole weight rests. It’s a miracle, and the dance is a celebration of that miracle.”—Martha Graham

After

when your body

no longer belongs to you

when it’s still out there

in last night’s darkness

seeking its way

into the sublime

those tendril feet

licking against the spine

of the stage,

After the lights

and the thrum of applause

have lifted into the streets

and slipped

into strangers’ apartments

to live between wall hangings

and philosophy books

like remnants,

After all this

don’t be surprised

to find yourself

in the same position again

splayed out on the bedroom floor

legs prised open

like a jewel box

the hinges

singing odes to joy

and the feet

those tiny miracles

pushing up and around

until they are joined

like hands

meeting wildly

unforgettably.