CARMEN MIRANDA

He held me in his arms but I could not dance
anymore. I tried to speak, but couldn't.
'Don't worry,' he said, 'I will say
everything that you want to say'

How could he? But he could. Just for a
moment, and as long as I could look into
his eyes, he was me, and more than I was, and
I was grateful and I was happy to give myself away.

The sound of dancers became the sound of the
ocean. I felt my hair as I dipped to the floor.
I could not see him smile, but I was
smiling.