Dancing Girls
You wonder how I do it
Skintight satin gown
hugs hourglass curves
Side slits reveal pale thighs
Arms clasped around a man
whose hands rest on my hips
our breasts and torsos touching
I return your gaze
knowing my heart’s protected
by layers of calluses
grown through the years
though my body’s scantily clad
I sell this dance, not my soul
I show my cleavage, not my tears
©2022 Jackie Chou All rights reserved.
Jackie Chou is a poet whose work is influenced by the urban landscape of Southern California where she grew up. She has work published in Alien Buddha Zine, Spillwords, Fevers of the Mind Poetry Digest, and others. She is also a Jeopardy fan and watches the show religiously.