Eliza Cass
A Pledge

Today I danced for 15 minutes using only my bum
Pulsing wiggling lovely vibrations
I dropped to the floor swept across and up as the sun
Told stories with it, said prayers, shook out salutations
Communicating dreams through my backside
As true in intention as it is truly wide
Tomorrow, the heart.

Then I danced for 20 minutes using only my fingers,
Playing out complex rhythms between knuckle and nail,
I attempted pops and locks in, locks out of sockets,
Traced with tips, paths in palm, fortunes, my own line
Whispering deepest secrets as crickets began their thrum,
Kissed from pinkie index, thumb to thumb
Flexed joint to joint desperately til indescribably numb
Tomorrow, the heart.

Then I danced for an hour using only my belly,
Rolling rolls one into the other and another,
Kneaded and stretched each ripple of loudness and goo
I pushed far into the world and rested her roundness
Pressed spherical love tearing seams, meeting back with a crack
Turning inward tummy to ribs until lights gone and the night breathless black
Tomorrow, the heart.

Today this, this and this,
Tomorrow, tomorrow and all tomorrows,
The heart