tony howarth

Pas de Deux


by holding her sclerotic arms
her therapist steadies her
inches her forward
by walking backwards himself
he becomes her dancing partner

her quivering face is an extravagant grin
along the length of the room
never mind the burden of her body
every painful hard-won motion

                   step
       pause
queen of the prom
             pause
 step
a silver-slipper waltz
        step
                step
a new beginning


Tony Howarth is a playwright, retired teacher, former journalist, living in Patterson, New York, currently harvesting the apples in his orchard. His work has been published in Chantarelle's Notebook and Chronogram.