A Dance With The Devil Poem by Ximena Nunez

Your cold hands envelop mine,
A polite smile brings me to my feet and a fierce confidence twirls me out into the limelight.
You bow;
I curtsy.
Let the dance with the devil begin.

Wary of my surroundings,
Look down; look up; look around.
You tilt my chin, and I'm staring into your eyes.
Eyes so cold they could kill;
Eyes so cold they could fill an emptiness within me.

Spin me out; spin me back in.
A dangerous dance here:
It's pure impurities.
A turn into lust; a turn away from love.
Twirl me into hate; dip me down into envy.
Slowly rise me back up into lies.

A slight lift to the left,
A slight tap twice.
Where's my virtue?
Let me control you.
Where's my honesty?
Past your eyes, I cannot see.
Where's my goodwill?
Running down my back is a rough chill.

The fire's rising, burning relentlessly.
You lift me gently, still with your eyes searing into mine.
Let me look away!
I beg; I plead.
It's too late.
I close my eyes;
It's too late.

Look to my left. Look to my right.
Fire.
There's a fire.
Everyone around is burning
-Except for us.

Heart's beating fast, blood's running cold.
What should I do?
What am I to do?
What I do best, and with a wicked smile to impress.

'Look into my eyes. Don't stop dancing. Don't stand still, and you'll be okay.'
I look into the eyes of he with the dark voice. Clever entity, sure, but no match for me.
I've been here before; I know better.

Another lift, high up above the fire.
Reaching the ground, I whisper into his ear:
'Let me go, and you shall have me as you wish.'
Stunned eyes and a plastic smile nod to me.
A hand on my lower back releases me as the other twirls me away from him.
I have won.
My deceit will save myself.
But my will turns me back into his arms, past of my magic plan.

Master manipulator.
Switch hands, lead me through the spin in this dance with the devil.
Make me think I control you;
Make me think I have the power,
But that's your power.
I'm the master manipulator;
I've learned from the best.