A Poem

I was sitting at HyVee one day and having a cup of Starbucks and I looked up and saw this elderly couple walking down the aisle. Both were tall and elegant with gray hair but what impressed me was the manner in which they moved together as they walked. It was almost as if they were dancing and thus was born the following poem. It is one of my favorites.

Dancin’ The Slow Dance!

They came down the aisle,
Side by side,
Arm in arm.
Left foot right foot,
Forward together,.
They’re dancin’ the slow dance now.

Not for them intricate steps of a Tango, Rumba or Waltz,
No Boogie Woogie, Charleston, or Cha Cha Cha
He doesn’t sweep her around the floor or dip her way back,
But they still move together,
Slow dancin’ to the music of life

You can tell theirs has been a long dance
The way they move together
A joy to watch for those who see.
(Most don’t see them).
Just an old couple moving slowly through the store

But there is rare beauty in their movement
Side by side,
Arm in arm,
Left feet forward.
Right feet forward
They’re slow dancin’ the last dance together.


Jay Cole Simser
January 11, 2005