it was one slow dance
that's all it took
she fell slowly
then all at once
her hands on his shoulders
his hands on her waist

why could she have not realized
that this feeling would not last

for months after
he played cruel games
with her heart
in the palm of his hand

but when she awoke
from this long hopeless dream
she stopped falling
and flew back up
past the clouds

she built a wall
around the rose garden
in her heart
and vowed
to never slow dance again