Dance Practice

Saturday, a week ago, I had a deliciously unusual experience, one that completely charmed me with the way its disparate elements came together.

My friend Patty invited me to come with her to the worship time at a Messianic congregation down in Chandler, and since I was free that morning I accepted her invitation.

A bonus element was getting to watch the practice time of the Messianic dance group she participates in.

She told me they would be rehearsing outside, and I envisioned perhaps in a church courtyard. It turned out they were taking advantage of the available space in the alleyway behind the church, with the usual alley adornments of dumpsters and storage pods.

The church backs up to the south leg of the 202 freeway, so we were treated to a lot of traffic noise as well. 

As I watched them practice, I was searching for words to describe the experience.

Here is the resulting poem.

Dance Rehearsal Nov. 7, 2020

In the alley behind the church—

freeway traffic roaring behind us,

boombox at full volume,

Adonai, Lord Most High

Messianic dance group

rehearses on oil-stained pavement,

choreographing praise with body and spirit,

physical energy expressing the heart

Color and grace invite,

“Come and dance with me.”

Lord, hasten the day

when the streets will be gold, our bodies free.

–Rhonda Brown

Dance Practice

*My early poem is available in the archives of the Utmost Christian Writers poetry contest.

I have written many things about the world of poems and have published many of my own poems and stories here at Poet Monk Blogs

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