National Poetry Month Day Twenty

word group: red--sky--ember--ash

Beneath the umbrella
of a red sky
and the full yellow
ball of the sun
the Indian woman
danced around the fire
her arms arced
toward heaven
her bare feet
thumping on dry earth.
She danced in circles
as embers burned
to cold ash
and her cries
lifted like a prayer
in curlicues
of silver smoke.