Stomp the ground,
which shall consume us

                                         It is easy,
                                         to sense
                                         the Lord of the Dance
                                         when the young
                                         and the beautiful
                                         whirl around
                                         in manic joyful rhythm.

                                         I
                                         have been  transfixed
                                         watching the old dance.

                                         Not the gentle waltz
                                         of the senior citizens,
                                         but the slow
                                         deliberate
                                         movements
                                         of Greek folk dances.
                                         Venerable women
                                         with wobbly flesh,
                                         greying and balding men,
                                         slowly gyrating
                                         their spare tire,
                                         in a death defying
                                         life affirming motion,
                                         transcending
                                         space and time.
 

                                       ***********************
                                      from a Greek folk song :
                                      τούτη η γής που θα μας πάρει
                                         this earth that will take us
                                      βάρτε την με το ποδάρι
                                              beat on it with your foot