Before the Dance Is Over

By Grace Hawes

Poetry writing is not for sissies. Crystalizing
thoughts, experiences, emotions into a few perfectly selected words is a task for the
intrepid and the talented. This book does all
of the above and, even more, does it with a
warm sense of humor.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Dec 16, 2010
• ISBN: 9781450259149

Grace Hawes

Grace Hawes was born in Cumberland, Wisconsin, and lived for many years in California. Now, with her husband, Ernest ZumBrunnen, she divides her time between Portland, Oregon and Capitola, California. She works part-time at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University. She is the author of the history book The Marshall Plan for China and her poetry has been published in the British poetry magazine FIRE and in REFLECTIONS which is published in Oregon. Her other books of poetry are The Turtle Tattoo and Downstream.

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Dedication

To my family and friends

              who have always filled my

                            dance card

                                          even when I was the last

                                                        wallflower

                                                                      at the ball

Acknowledgement

A very special thank you to LaMoine

MacLaughlin, who gave me permission

to use a line from his poem "Old Woman

Reminiscing", from his poetry book

A Scent of Lilacs and other poems, as the

title for this book. I enjoy your wonderful

poetry and deeply appreciate your generosity

to a grateful stranger.

Table of Contents

Dedication

Acknowledgement

POMMES DE TERRE

MOOD ENHANCERS

CARRIE/CORRINE/GRACE

HONEST

INFORMANT

ASSUMING TOO MUCH

ATTIRE

CHRISTMAS PRESENT - 2008

BUDDIES

CURSIVE

NO REGRETS, BUT

REMINDER

COLOR CODED

HAIKU

CARNIVAL

VIKRAM SETH

RESPONSIBILITY

HAIKU

SILENCIO

REMAINDER

L.A.

AN AFFAIR TO FORGET

IT ONLY TAKES TWO

POINT OF VIEW

AUTO LESSON

ELIZABETH MISPEAKS

IT MIGHT GET WORSE

HAIKU

LULLABY

SATURDAY

CALIFORNIA REDUX

PHOTOGENIC

SECRET STASH

AND SHE HASN’T CHANGED

OH NO

ON BEING THERE

PROCRASTINATION

SEASONAL THERAPY

PAST AS MILLSTONE

BEEN THERE

DONE THAT

MISSED OPPORTUNITY

OUR SPECIAL GAME

SOUVENIRS

ON BEING HAWESian

THE SENTIMENT’S THE SAME

DWINDLING DAYS

ENDURANCE

SOPHISTICATE

ASSUMPTIONS

VIRTUE’S REWARD

CAPITOLA

WE WERE JUST HAVING FUN

NEWSREEL

BUT AT LEAST IT WASN’T SNOWING

BUT WHERE DID IT GO

CHOICE

YOU CAN’T JUDGE A BOOK....

BIT PART

ROLE MODEL

ROGER ALMOST TOUCHES THE SKY

MASON-DIXON LINE

INCOMPARABLE

MEXICAN CUISINE

FRIDA

NOT HAUTE CUISINE

TOP OF THE LINE

EARLY MORN

MEMENTOS

MIRACULOUSLY SHE’S BECOME A BADGER

STAYING POWER

WELL-TRAVELED ROADS

HAIKU

MOGAO CAVES

EPONYMOUS

CARRIE

A LOVELY DAY FOR A WALK

ADVANCED EDUCATION

SONJA HENIE WANNABE

BETTER HAVE SOME CANDLES HANDY

LONG VIEW

SWEET SIXTEEN

CURATIVE

CITY KIDS

LOOK A LITTLE CLOSER, MY GIRL

VERY SIMPLE

ANNA BOURGINA WHEN I KNEW HER

BURNETT COUNTY

HAIKU

GRUMPY

A CLUE

REASSURANCE

CHINI BAGH*

NOT WINTER YET

OASES

DIAGNOSIS

HA HA VERY FUNNY

TO A CHINESE VASE

ONE NIGHT ONLY

DÉJÀ VU

JUDITH’S GARDEN

MT. MUSTAGHATA

PETRIFIED

TECHNOLOGY CAN’T DO IT ALL

EXPIRATION DATE

WIDOW’S BLIND DATE

PENITENTS IN MEXICO CITY

PERSPECTIVE

STASIS

TREASURE HUNT

FLY BY

POMMES DE TERRE

Apples of the earth

            the French

                        elevate

                        the lowly potato

to poetry

MOOD ENHANCERS

Just outside

            the back door

                        for the six months