in the jukebox of her memory
  the list of names flips by and stops
  she closes her eyes
  and smiles as the record drops
    then she drinks herself up and out
  of her kitchen chair
  and she dances out of time
  as slow as she can sway
  for as long as she can say
  this dance is mine
  this dance is mine
    her hair bears silent witness
  to the passing of time
  tattoos like mile markers
  map the distance she has gone
  winning some, losing some
  she says my sister still calls every sunday night
  after the rates go down
  and i can never manage to say anything right
  my whole life blew up
  and now its all coming down
    and she says leave me alone
  tonight i just wanna stay home
  she fills the pot with water
  she drops in the bone
  she says, i've got a darkness that i have to feed
  i've got a sadness
  that grows up around me like a weed
  and i'm not hurting anyone
  i'm just spiraling in
  as she closes her eyes
  and hears the song begin again
    she appreciates the phone calls
  the consoling cards and such
  she appreciates all the people
  who come by and try to pull her back in touch
  they try to hold the lid down tightly
  and they try to shake well
  but the oil and water
  just want to separate themselves
    she drinks herself up and out of her kitchen chair
  and she dances out of time
  as slow as she can sway
  for as long as she can say
  this dance is mine
  this dance is mine
  this dance is mine