The huge hall

the wood floor

the wide windows

open to the summer breeze

 

all the women brought

a covered dish to share

all the men brought

was themselves

 

there was talk

and plenty of it

the family trait

on proud display

so many talking at once

the hall hummed and

walls vibrated with

their chorus of conversation

 

the men grouped up 

sharing tales of small victories

the women sat in circles

and spun their yarns of

work and home and

children's progress

 

and finally came the dance

oh how they loved to dance

the waltz

the polka

the Cotton-Eyed Joe

all played with the oom-pa-pa beat

of horn and tuba

and wild rhythms

of the customary Accordian

 

the wooden floor

vibrated with so many shuffling feet

as they glided round and round

in great circles of joy and laughter

 

you could dance with your mother

your daughter, your aunt

your wife or

someone else's wife

 

lifted by music and conversation

the joy of being together once again

reunited in blood and spirit

under the Texas sky 

wishing it would never end.