We were at the coast

attending a meeting

      One afternoon I wandered

      through the coconut palms

      towards the drums

      in the distance

The village

was in a celebrative mood

      drumming

      dancing

      ululating

In Africa

it is no small thing

to dance in community

Dancing together

is therapeutic

Dancing together

is a way of restoring harmony

      No leader

      all danced in a circle

            tightly knit

                sweating

                stomping

                moving

I remained

at a distance

not wanting to be

an intruding audience

in this display

of communal spirit