she
said
she
was drying out
and
needed to get clean
i
just held her hand
as
she wept
holding
her hair back
while
she threw up
nearly
20 years
of
the most hideous
and
sobering regrets
and,
like natural childbirth,
there
is not much you can do
but
be there
while
she learns how
to
nurture a new life beyond it
and
remind her
even
if you’re walking broken
you
can learn how to dance again
Copyright
© 2013 Jennifer Wagner
For
Laurie's prompt at Poetry Jam: Poetry of Dance. And for Poets United: The Poetry Pantry.