Poem: Boxstep

I need to do the box step even though I don’t know my left from my right 

I have learnt the theoretical: step forward, to the side and back and repeat 

Step forward, to the side and back again and 

Repeat even though I feel myself fumbling, stepping to the back then 

Forward then to the side then back until I have lost all sense of direction

I am told to copy the person in front of me, watch them in the mirror

I stand behind them so I do not see my reflection sweating and cursing, 

Biting my lip and telling myself off for not even being able to step 

In the shape of a square 

I am a circle trying to be a square 

Stretching my edges to become a box but the corners are never straight 

And the sides droop like my shoulders when I hear the back has become 

The front and now I am leading the routine and everyone is watching me

Jolt from pose to pose, looking past my reflection to get the right rhythm

Because I still can’t dance, I can’t even do the box step

Without taking the wrong turn and meeting the eyes of a woman 

Who can see I am not dancing, I am not even imitating 

I still don’t know the order of the sequence, I can hum the tune 

but I can’t hit my marks because I don’t know my right from left, 

I can’t box step because I am a circle trying to be a square 

No one ever taught me this routine and I can’t follow along

Written by, Eve Hutchinson