are you dancing Jessica?

By Taunting The Reaper

a belly full of children
beer
and smoke
are you dancing Jessica?

you had strong hands
bringing you up right
but you cut class
just as easily as you carved love
onto your skin
because the pain
of being loved
by anyone other than
the mother that abandoned you
on the front steps of nowhere
is too much to bear
even now
are you dancing Jessica?

with hungry mouths screaming
and yet another man in your bed
with your own little girl asking why
and yet another man in your bed
with your saddest boy crying tonight
and yet another man in your bed
are you dancing Jessica?

tattoos swaying through the night
on the loneliest stage on earth
near a grimy pole
and there you are
with the most painful drunken smile
a mother could ever smile
dance…
dance Jessica dance
your mother probably danced
like you

Unauthorized Copying Is Prohibited. Ask the author first.
© 2008 William Bermudez
Published on Friday, May 30, 2008.     Filed under: "Reflective" and "Poetry"
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Comments on "are you dancing Jessica?"

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  • A former member wrote: wow, I could really envision this. good work..

  • Malice In Wonderland On Thursday, May 30, 2013, Malice In Wonderland (976)By person wrote:

    it's a damn shame how the demons of someone we never knew seem to instill themselves into our hearts.... well done Scholar

  • Deathkitten On Thursday, May 30, 2013, Deathkitten (571)By person wrote:

    This one drew me in because my name is actually Jessica. It's ironic as well that I used to "dance", although the story isn't fitting to me, I can understand the sad cycle. Well done!

  • TropicalSnowstorm On Monday, May 13, 2013, TropicalSnowstorm (1580)By person wrote:

    "dance Jessica dance your mother probably danced like you" - wow, awesome piece! Several casually brilliant turns of a phrase in this. Ciao, T/S Scholar

  • Salty Ships On Friday, April 12, 2013, Salty Ships (30)By person wrote:

    I enjoyed the smoothness of this piece and the content was a delight.

  • Dreaming in Stanzas On Sunday, October 14, 2012, Dreaming in Stanzas (293)By person wrote:

    This is amazing...It's heartbroken but so fucking great from the content to the structure. I've never seen anyone capture this so well before. So thought provoking, a perfect 10.

  • FadedBlues On Sunday, August 12, 2012, FadedBlues (2096)By person wrote:

    ...very dismal scene on a small dark stage: she's attempting to dance toward a dream that doesn't exist...

  • sexxykiller14 On Wednesday, March 14, 2012, sexxykiller14 (38)By person wrote:

    wow. not sure what to say. its great either way

  • The Lipstick Factor On Saturday, May 31, 2008, The Lipstick Factor (287)By person wrote:

    wow--awesome write. Powerful.

  • RubyXero On Saturday, May 31, 2008, RubyXero (481)By person wrote:

    probably?...not. Interesting piece. a lot going on here. sad but a part of life as any...i feel sad for the children. who grow up to have their own children that feel just like they did with their parents. terrible repetitious cycle. well written...

  • A former member wrote: Heartbreaking, this drew me in....well written. Has me leaning more towards nature, than nurture.

  • A former member wrote: I don't know if she's dancing or just spinning out of control...a sad tale like this leaves generations of unhappy endings in its wake...wonderful insight...you make the ugly side of life a little prettier with your words :)


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