To a Latin American Dancer,
With Regret

Last night
I fell
in lust
with a Latin American dancer.

Broad shoulders,
bare chest bronzed,
tight black bell-bottoms
in matador stance,

he smiled constantly, charmingly,
flashing sharp white teeth
like the Devil,

(of course
I felt like
the only woman
in the dancehall.)

Heady music passion
pounding,
he samba-rumba'd his way
rhythmically
into my loins;

I couldn't get enough.

friday going home

friday going home
through marzipanned twilight
purple rain
falls down on boom street
jacaranda flowers
mauve harvest of trumpets
dance the shimmy
sprinkling colour
on hot beats of air
they know it's friday too

Michelle McGrane is a published South African poet. Her poems have been published individually in numerous national and international electronic poetry journals, print journals and anthologies. Her debut collection of poetry, Fireflies & Blazing Stars, was published in December 2002. The collection was runner up for the South African Writers' Circle Quill Award, best book of any category award.

Copyright 2004, Michelle McGrane. This work is protected under U.S. and international copyright laws. It may not be reproduced, reprinted, reused, or altered without the expressed written permission of the author.