GHOST DANCE

there were troubles in our household
strife between my wife and i
cause my hours had been shortened
and the bills were climbing high

and it caused a rift between us
and in anger i'd resent
that there was no room for leisure
i could barely pay the rent

found a second occupation
just to keep the wolf away
as a cemetery watchman
just to supplement my pay

while working there one morning
a disruption filled the air
near a funeral in progress
twas a woman dancing there

though it wasn't quite illegal
these poor mourners wanted peace
so they sent me out to ask if
for time being she could cease

i felt bad for this old woman
but i had a job to do
told her that she must stop dancing
till the services were through

the old woman nodded sadly
understood the need to go
and she wandered off unsteady
cause her age had made her slow

but i saw when she was dancing
lest my eyes had played a trick
she had seemed to be much younger
moving lively, smooth and quick

after that i saw her often
always waltzing with such grace
seemed to have an absent partner
that brought smiles upon her face

and i yearned to hear her story
why she picked this place to dance
might have been a private matter
but one day i dared to chance

and she told me that her husband
used to take her on the town
and they'd be madly waltzing
till the ballroom doors shut down

but passing years had slowed them
and her husband then took ill
the place that she'd been dancing
was his grave up on that hill

i felt this woman's sorrow
at the same time i felt mine
for i knew my wife loved dancing
but i never had the time

and i thought about our troubles
and how quickly i had blamed
my poor wife for my shortcomings
and it made me feel ashamed

the old woman took my elbow
cause she saw i was distraught
and she said she'd introduce me
and she walked me to his plot

i stood uncomprehending
at the carving on the stone
for i saw my own name written
when i turned i was alone

i hurried home that evening
took my wife into my arms
she had never seen me crying
so it filled her with alarm

i said "let's go out dancing
you can pick your favorite spot
though i might be rather clumsy
with your help i could be taught"

"oh yes" she said so sweetly
as her own tears trickled down
and that night we went out waltzing
till the ballroom doors shut down