October Villanelle

We dance because we must—
Dance, my friends, or weep:
All dignity is dust.

Past melody, we trust,
There is a beat to keep;
Therefore, dance we must.

Each movement we adjust
First to glide, then to leap,
Though dignity is dust.

We seldom pause for crust
Or cup, and briefly sleep;
Of course we dance because we must.

And always we are left nonplussed:
As pastorales, heedless, sweep
Our dignity to dust.

We are unable to distrust
Such rhythms, buried deep;
We only dance because we must
Know dignity is dust.

--Lisa Wilcox