by GERALD STERN
Ecstatic moments and experiences
are rare occurrences.
They are not necessarily extra-ordinary -
simply memorable, relevant, personal.
But they can be pivotal in our lives.
When poverty or abuse or violence or depression
subvert or overwhelm us,
memories of the ecstatic moments lift us up,
hold us, companion us, give us hope.
When you have nothing but people
and memory of traditions, culture, story and shared experiences,
then we use those to transform
the ordinary into the extra-ordinary.
Like dance,
when you rock and roll and whirl in a frenzy
and become one with the movement
and with all those who have danced before
and will never dance again.
And laughter,
when tears roll down your cheeks
and your belly hurts
and you can't speak without bursting into laughter again.
And none of it makes sense to any one else.
But it transforms and transports us
in time and space and soul.
one with a long body and short legs/feet,
and one with a short body and long legs!
They both have wild pink hair
and a heart stitched with pink thread.
They are joined -
united in their dancing and their laughter!