For Once Only (a poem)

This poem was written for a collection. I was given three stock images to jump start my creativity-one was a single rose on a piano and another was a stylized image of a salsa-dancing couple, including a lady in a red dress. I can't remember what the third image was-but I let my imagination free and had fun with rhyming. Here we go:

For Once Only

He recalled the portrait painting
from a museum visit, once ago-
ballroom dancer/lady fainting.
The show of her leg/red dress flow,
and this was what he dreamed this night
-held her close so to feel her pumping heart.
In his arms-became his, held tight,
in their dance- expression of their love's art.

With each step, a piano key,
and as the song notes rise, they also rise,
a rose falls and they let it be.
roses rain-they let shower from the skies-
to be for once in paradise,
to be for once only before he wakes,
goodbye kisses received twice,
from pillow he stirs, eyes open, heart breaks.

-Winter 2013

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