NaPoMo QOTD This Poem is for the Little Old Man that Dances at Don Vicente.

"When tunes jigged nimbler than the blood
And quick and high the bows would prance...
I saw the old come out to dance.
The heart is not so light at first..."
 - Song from a Country Fair by Léonie Adams* (PoLau '48-'49)

I used to go swing dancing at these two clubs, The Zendah Grotto and the Don Vicente Hotel. These dances would draw such an incredible range of people. From high schoolers to great-grandparents. There was always this little old man there, in his saddle shoes and suspenders or, on occasion updated to a t-shirt and orthopedic shoes. He definitely knew all the dances from back in the day and loved that people still wanted to do them. When you danced with him, it was just the simple steps, but there was always a story that started with "back in my day..." and for three minutes you'd be transported back to the days of cool, dark bars with hot jazz pianos and vets still in their fresh Class As. Even though this poem is about a country fair, it makes me think of him. Not so spry anymore, but I bet he was quite the dancer back in the day.


I couldn't help it. Michael McCoy is always there with a camera taking pictures, so I grabbed one. I think if this picture had a poem, it would be "Song from a Country Fair".

*From The Poets Laureate Anthology, published by W.W. Norton in association with the Library of Congress. Poem copyright Léonie Adams.

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