Dancing days are done
Done in by social distance
Distance determined, solo spaces
Spaces empty, filled, masked faces
Faces covered vanquished smiles
Smiles once lifted miens
Miens covered informed eyes
Eyes sad, lonely, longing
Longing for closeness, movement
Movement together, shuffled feet
Feet stepping to the beat
Beat goes on determined song
Song inspires dance
Dance today is deadly
Deadly dancing
Dancing days are done
Off Center & Not Even 
Magnificent image.
Thanks, Susan.
Wow! Rocking poetry/song and amazing pic!
Thanks, Holly. I commented to Simona that dancing is deadly these days. That comment brought to mind this photo from a series of photos I have not published of the pterodactyl and the catfish. With Shey asking for more poetry, they all came together to form a perfect storm out of which the poem was borne
So stunningly beautiful!
Oh wow! What a great shot and engaging poem.
Thanks, Michele. I’m happy you liked them.
You are on fire, Timothy! This is a fabulous poem that could be a song with a perfect image.
Thanks, Dale. I hadn’t really thought of it as a song, but your probably right.
Holly said it and I think she’s right. 😊
True.
Beautifully done, Tim — and paired with the perfect photo. I love the cadence of the words. Hugs.
Thanks, Teagan. I had to strain for some of the words to keep the cadence, alliteration, and chain verse flowing.
Well, you got it right. And made it seem effortless too. Kudos.
Definitely feeling this more and more everyday.
It’s sad really. Do you dance? We haven’t danced in a long time. It used to be our life.
Actually…I should really do a post about this but I didn’t think about it until you asked this question. Yes. Yes, I do, in a very “special” way. Affectionately referred to as: Dancing It Out. Kind of perfect for this very instances. Comes from one of my old favorite tv shows, Grey’s Anatomy. They do it throughout every season. You Dance It Out when things are terrible, you can’t see a way out, you’re mad at everything and everyone, when you just can’t win. Stand by one. I got something for you. 😉
That is excellent. Dance is a really good way to take out you frustrations. You should do a post on it. I don’t have much footage or recordings digitized from our dancing daze, but I posted a not very good quality video of Pablo Rodarte dancing, I’m playing guitar and Laurie is playing palmas for a show we did back in 1994: https://wp.me/p1yQyy-58w
Ironically, the end of dancing was my lemonade out of lemons with Covid – that and the world-wide banning of those uncomfortable hugs from the relatives – loved the header shot.
That ended dancing days for everyone. Remember “Dancing is Deadly”. I’m sure the Baptists approve. Thanks, Brian.
https://youlildickens.com/2021/08/12/get-up-dance-it-out/
Great post Eleanor.
Great image and even greater poem. To me, it encapsulates what so many of us are feeling—cut off from our fellow man, isolated, joy stolen from our lives. And some, like my husband, in a constant state of stress brought on by this ongoing mess. I don’t know how it is in your neck of the woods, but here we haven’t had mask mandates, except in some health facilities and government offices, for quite a while. Most people I know are sick to death of the 24/7 news coverage of covid, which I believe is being done to scare us all into doing whatever big government wants us to do—for our own good, of course. I’m not against wearing a mask, but I believe it should be a personal choice.
Thanks, KT. We didn’t have mask mandates for a few months, then the governess decreed something about wearing them again which I paid no attention to. I heard she was wanting people to wear masks again to not shame those who have not been vaxed. Who knows. There’s no rhyme or reason for her policies. She hides behind the BS (based on science) mantra. Masks are appropriate in some places and situations, but to tell people they have to wear them all the time inside and out is ridiculous. In a few years I see massive lawsuits over health problems children will start dealing with from being forced to wear masks all the time.
Our governor is currently being sued by some group ( I don’t recall who they are) for not issuing a statewide mask mandate when the uptick in covid cases started getting bad again. He encourages them in certain situations, but doesn’t want to force it on people. I’m old, I don’t worry about what the long-term effects of mask wearing or covid or the vaccine might do to me, but I do worry about our children.
I agree with your governor. When I was battling cancer, my oncologist told me to go out and walk, ride a bike or run every day. I asked her about wearing a mask because my immune system was nill. She said absolutely not. She told me I wouldn’t get enough oxygen wearing a mask while exercising, I would be doing more harm than good, and that there was nothing floating around in the air outside that would make me sick. I followed her advice and everything she told me to do. All through really intensive chemo, I never got sick or missed a day of work if I was not having treatments. My oncologists are the few who know the facts based on science.
My doctor told me when this covid thing started not to wear a mask while exercising, which for me at the time, was a brisk hour walk outdoors. I think I trust my doctor more than the media’s call of “it’s science.”
Buona giornata Timothy
Grazie Simona. You were part of the inspiration for the poem and post from our comments on dance yeasterday.
mi fa piacere 😉
Now you promised more. You should have added epic. Firstly that image is amazing. Secondly you know where I am on this and I am heartened to see so many of your followers are too. Some eminent scientist down south has got onboard finally with the nonsense of the death figures and the scaremongering. no doubt he will be shot down in flames. Here, Scotland opens up BUT doesn’t. You can go to a club and dance without a mask but hey get one of when you are standing. Did I say we are allowed to dine and drink without a mask… I mean THIS is the level of it here. It is to be expected from people who allowed thousands to gather at Euro fanzone but not mums into see nursery sports, school ones either. And I am not having a pop at the SNP government. I have supported Scottish independence for 50 years. I see they are mandating vaccines in many States. And look at what is going in France. Thank you for this. Ses it all.
Thanks, Shey. You inspire epicness. As we have discussed, not a lot make sense. The powers that be want more power to be theirs and they are not going to waste a good crises. They have milked it dry, and are sucking the blood out of it.
Timothy, the are indeed.Down south it’s been lucrative contracts for all the pals and the pals of pals who have made a piece of PPE equipment or designed an app in their lives. It is sneaking in all sort of laws, money for big pharma, SAGE bigwigs shouting for lockdown and screaming don’t open the country, all making millions in vaccine shares. It’s been the destruction of small businesses, hospitality, culture, of people’s health as in hospitals here are now overwhelmed with people being handed avoidable terminal diagnoses because of course, the lives of those with covid were worth more. The blood is indeed being sucked and we are being taken for suckers. YOU are also not only epic but very kind.
It’s the same as it ever was no matter what part of the world we are in. Very sad.
I know. Everything is just messed up.
It’s all turning into a presistance of SNAFU, living with an eternal state of FUBAR. Did you see the video “Acronymphomania” I posted in 2019? You can see it at https://wp.me/p1yQyy-4J0
Wow…!! What a great shot… Beautiful post, Tim!
Thanks, Herman. I’m happy you enjoyed them.
Your poem paints a heartbreakingly grim yet real image, my dear friend and the image is the ..cherry!
“Dancing days are gone” in every way. Our smile little by little is fading behind masks.
I am hopeful that people are waking up, but how late are we, I don’t know.
To add to the measures Shey mentions in her commment and to lighten up the mood, did you know that one of the measures here in Greece is that music is banned in bars, cafes etc? True!
Thanks, Marina. I’m not suprised they banned music n bars, cafes and other live venues. Music might inspire people to dance, and as we know, Dancing is DEADLY. On a lighter note of C, the Chain Verse style of poetry I used originated in ancient Greece. The prologue in the Gospel of John is in Chain Verse.
…and your C is brilliant!!!
Well, yes, exactly! Unless it’s the dance of Zalongo (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YgLSrKh8cYA&feature=share#menu) Women with their children danced their way off the cliff, singing this, after Ottomans invaded their village, Souli.
Interesting sad song, espescelly performed in camo.
I just saw it today and thought it was an interesting interpretation and the fact that it was performed by military people who weren’t native was moving.
Perfect and fantastic, Tim!
Thanks, Tiffany.
Those magnificent wings! I do hope dancing comes back!
Thanks, Rebecca.
Wow great dancing Heron and fish… I’m dancing but masking but it’s a jury’s out feeling ..
Nice Timothy💖💖
I’m not dancing or masking. I should be dancing. Thanks, Cindy.
ready…. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Set 🙌🙌🙌🙌
Go🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈
💃🕺🏼
you are now.. ❤️
I was at a street festival for the 4th and while not touching, we were line dancing.
You’re lucky you lived to tell about it. Sounds like fun and perfectly rebellious. Thanks, Teri.
It was outdoors so that helped 😉
That does help.
Cool shot!
You caught Mr. Pterodactyl in mid fish. That is a beautiful photo of him in action Tim.
Thanks, Lavina. The full series plus the video is really interesting.
Absolutely gorgeous Timothy.
xoxo
Thanks, Gabriela. I’m happy you lined them.
My pleasure.
xoxo
Are you a dancer?
I did some. We spoke once about. But I am not the dancer that you are.
xoxo
I remember know.
I had dental work done today. I think the Novocaine numbed my brain.
Dental work is never fun. Are you ok?
I’m fine. A tooth broke off around an ancient filling. I have to get a crown. I have a temporary crown now. I went to a new dentist, since I don’t go downtown anymore. He had this scanner that he used to make a 3D image of my teeth that he sends to the lab that makes the crown. It was so cool. I was going to ask him if it would be possible to get a copy of the images of my teeth, but the dental assistant handed me a bag with glue, cotton swabs and cotton rolls and started explaining how to glue the temporary crown back in if it comes out over the next 3 weeks until I get the permanent crown. I think I could make some cool art with images of my teeth.
You are extraordinary Timothy. The moment I read the words it was cool I knew you were about to come up with something interesting. You are great 🤗
I appreciate that, Gabriela. You are extraordinarily intuitive.
I thought I was the only one who believed that 🙂
Then other people who intereact with you must be blind or a bit dense. But I doubt that’s the case. There are probably a lot of people who know the truth. It’s based on Poetry, and no one can argue with the truth of Poetry.
🙏🌹🤗
Wow, great picture! He does look like he’s dancing. Also, he has angel-like wings! Also, the more I stare at his face, the more he looks like a fish. 🙂
The pterodactyl has a big catfish in the photo. Thanks, Linda.
Cool!!!! Didn’t know that! The bird’s face looks a bit like a fish too!
Check these out: https://offcenternoteven.com/?s=pterodactyl. You can see the Pterodactyl up close and personal.
Thanks, Timothy. 🙂
Beautiful, but I hope not.
Thanks, Susan. Me either.
Poignant, Tim!
You’re really into some fab writing these days!
Sigh!
Ahhh, for just one dirty dance… not deadly, just sexy!
At least I can listen to live music through my floor! All the guys are fully vaccinated, ac on, door open, and everyone stands far apart under a high ceiling. Masks on until the last moment.
What a world!
That’s great you can have live music again. With your new pencils and fab style, I expect you are going to get a lot of inspiration from the beats and groovy tunes making their way through the floor. Maybe you can sneak in a non-deadly dirty dance. Thanks
LOL! I feel safer up here…guess I could dance with myself in the mirror!
You could simply “Dance it out” like Eleanor. Apparently, “Grey’s Anatomy” has a dance it out in each episode. I’ve never seen the show as with most TV shows.
I’ve never seen the show, either. I have a small list of shows I watch, about 1 hour a night. I’m sure I can find a youtube of the dance it outs!
Eleanor posted some clips on her dance it out post: https://wp.me/pbPjFx-FR