The Book of American Negro Poetry/Zalka Peetruza
ZALKA PEETRUZA
(Who Was Christened Lucy Jane)
She danced, near nude, to tom-tom beat, With swaying arms and flying feet, 'Mid swirling spangles, gauze and lace, Her all was dancing—save her face.
A conscience, dumb to brooding fears, Companioned hearing deaf to cheers; A body, marshalled by the will, Kept dancing while a heart stood still:
And eyes obsessed with vacant stare, Looked over heads to empty air, As though they sought to find therein Redemption for a maiden sin.
'Twas thus, amid force driven grace, We found the lost look on her face; And then, to us, did it occur That, though we saw—we saw not her.