We Have Come to be Danced

Jewel Mathieson 1957 (Simi Valley, CA) – 2020 (Sonoma, CA)



We have come to be danced
not the pretty dance
not the pretty pretty, pick me, pick me dance
but the claw our way back into the belly
of the sacred, sensual animal dance
the unhinged, unplugged, cat is out of its box dance
the holding the precious moment in the palms
of our hands and feet dance

We have come to be danced
not the jiffy booby, shake your booty for him dance
but the wring the sadness from our skin dance
the blow the chip off our shoulder dance
the slap the apology from our posture dance

We have come to be danced
not the monkey see, monkey do dance
one, two dance like you
one two three, dance like me dance
but the grave robber, tomb stalker
tearing scabs & scars open dance
the rub the rhythm raw against our souls dance

We have come to be danced
not the nice invisible, self conscious shuffle
but the matted hair flying, voodoo mama
shaman shakin’ ancient bones dance
the strip us from our casings, return our wings
sharpen our claws & tongues dance
the shed dead cells and slip into
the luminous skin of love dance

We have come to be danced
not the hold our breath and wallow in the shallow end of the floor dance
but the meeting of the trinity: the body, breath & beat dance
the shout hallelujah from the top of our thighs dance
the mother may I?
yes you may take 10 giant leaps dance
the Olly Olly Oxen Free Free Free dance
the everyone can come to our heaven dance

We have come to be danced
where the kingdom’s collide
in the cathedral of flesh
to burn back into the light
to unravel, to play, to fly, to pray
to root in skin sanctuary
We have come to be danced
WE HAVE COME

About this poem

This poem answers the question that gnaws at the soul, “Why am I here?” … “to be danced!” If you have felt the hand of creative expression touch you, move you, and create through you, this poem describes that process of being danced. In those moments, we are our most powerful and authentic selves.

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Submitted by JokerGem on December 10, 2022

Modified on May 03, 2023

1:35 min read
67

Quick analysis:

Scheme Abbcbbxb Abbbb Abdbxbb Axxbxbdb Abbbxbbb AxxxxcAx
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 1,608
Words 318
Stanzas 6
Stanza Lengths 8, 5, 7, 8, 8, 8

Jewel Mathieson

Born Julia Mathieson, Jewel was a force, say those who knew her- a fearless activist. She was an outspoken cannabis advocate, poet, performer (often performing her poems in-person as spoken-word) and dancer, award-winning storyteller, international educator, author, leader, mentor, champion of health and the arts, challenger of the status quo, and breast cancer survivor. She died at 62, leaving behind an immense legacy and a huge vaccum, "no one person could fill anytime soon." more…

All Jewel Mathieson poems | Jewel Mathieson Books

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    "We Have Come to be Danced" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 29 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/146438/we-have-come-to-be-danced>.

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