Share   Print  Save   Become a Fan

A "Thank You" to a special dance teacher who helped me overcome one last crippling fear.

Thank You, Brenda Dunagan


The dance semester now was done—
Far, far too soon for he.
He wished it had gone on and on
For all eternity.

He wondered if at all again
He’d ever come see
This master of the ballroom floor,
This teach who'd set him free

To spin and dance and dance some more
To side step and chasse,
Who made him want to dance instead
Of hitting the buffet.

She really did help set him free
From one longstanding fear.
He knew that now from this time on
He’d miss a friend so dear.

He couldn’t dance two years ago;
Was terribly afraid;
Terrified he really was;
An awful price he paid.

He had a scared kid deep inside
Who never had grown up;
A kid who thought he always was
A screwball and fucked up.

So many times that kid emerged
And said “Let’s fuck this shit.
“Let’s get the hell way out of here;
“This dancing let’s just quit.”

There was one time he almost walked
Right off the ballroom floor.
He wanted oh so des-pret-ly
To race right out the door.

But then he saw Ms. Dunagan;
And saw her smiling face;
He sensed that she believed in him;
He’d found a saving grace.

So many times that kid came back
To say he’d never dance;
To whisper time and time again,
“Let’s just not take this chance.”

He whispered each and every time:
“Embarrassed you will be,
“If you step on that ballroom floor,
“They’ll laugh at you, you’ll see.

“They’ll laugh and laugh and laugh some more,
“Like when you were a kid.
“It’s better just to glare at them
“’Cause that’s just how you did

“Get through this life for all these years
“That's how you did survive.
“Remember fool just what I’ve done;
“I’ve kept your ass alive.”

That scared-ass kid held so much sway
On his poor screwed up mind.
But so did teacher Dunagan,
Eh-spesh-ly her behind.

Now one of them just had to go;
The kid or Ballroom Teach.
So he just killed that idiot
He killed him and his speech.

It’s strange that in this crazy life
We carry ‘round such things.
But that is just the way we are;
It’s why we're human beings.

He took her class at UNM
It made him come to see
That dancing is one thing in life
That just can set you free

It also made him come to see
How dancing fun can be
And now he wants to dance and dance--
No longer wants to flee.

He never would have come this far
If not for Brenda Kay,
And now he wants to take this chance
To Dunagan to say:

Thank you my dear for all your help.
How so you changed my life;
Helped me destroy that one last fear.
Helped me get on with life.

Fear isn’t good for anyone
It so destroys your life—
It fills you up with bitterness;
It loads you up with strife.

You helped bring out the best in me--
Good heavens what a gift.
You touched me though and through, my dear,
My spirit you did lift.

I’ve never met anyone like you.
I’ve wondered why I did.
It doesn’t matter any more.
I’m just so glad I did.

So many wondrous things you are
I'd like to name each one,
But that would take a forest, dear,
And then the list would run

Around the earth so many times
Around it it would run,
'Round and 'round and 'round again,
And still it'd not be done.

If all the stars up in the sky
Got squished up into one.
It wouldn't be as bright as you;
You are a walking sun.

If all the wind that ever blew
Were packed into one storm,
It wouldn't match your energy,
It couldn't match your form.

If all the smiles ever worn
Were packed into one face,
It'd be a giant frown compared
To your sweet, smi-ling face.

If all the kindness, love and joy,
And smarts and talent, too,
Were put into one special soul,
They’d name it after you.

Your fire burns so fierce and bright,
So fiercely that you see,
That all the water on the earth,
Cannot extinguish thee.

You have a fierce tenacity
That makes you never quit.
Your sense of humor causes my
Aching side to split.

You’ve dined on rodents, petted snakes,
Befriended spiders, too.
What next my dearest Dunagan,
Whatever will you do?

Your beauty blinds all those who see;
It gives the blinded sight,
Eh-spesh-ly when you wear black pants
That fit so tight, tight, tight!

Those ballerina’s leotards,
That tiny, frilly skirt;
If I here use the rhyme I want,
My body you will hurt.

Your happiness wore off on me;
Contagious thing you are,
Jesus, Brenda Dunagan,
I'm taking this too far.

He never really killed that kid;
They can't be slain, you know.
They're with us each and every day
And everywhere we go.

Instead he brought him 'long to see
There's nothing more to fear;
That life should for the most part be
Joy, happiness and cheer.

As now I lay this pencil down,
My eyes begins to tear:
Thank you Brenda Dunagan,
I love you, Brenda dear.

I've got to end this crazy poem,
This mind I’ve got to free,
So let me end it here and now,
Let these my last words be:

Thank you Brenda Dunagan,
You helped destroy my fears,
With kisses, hugs and love, my friend
I leave you through my tears.

First position, third position,
Fifth position, break,
In my arms Ms. Dunagan
I oh so long to take …