Spanish Dancer

Earlier posts of Duenda,
and later mention of swirling skirts,
flashing eyes and passion caused me
to search for this -- took a bit of time ...

faucon
......................................................

SPANISH DANCER
Rainer Maria Rilke

As on all sides a kitchen-match
darts white flickering tongues
before it bursts into flame:
with the audience around her,
quickened, hot,
her dance begins to flicker in the dark room.

and all at once it is completely fire!

One upward glance and she ignites her hair
and, whirling faster and faster,
fans her dress into passionate flames,
till it becomes a furnace from which,
like startled rattlesnakes,
the long naked armes uncoil,
aroused and clicking.

and then: as if the fire
were too tight around her belly,
she takes and flings it out haughtily,
with an imperious gesture,
and watches;
it lies raging on the floor, still blazes up,
and the flames refuse to die --
till, moving with a total confidence
and sweet exultant smile,
she looks up finally
and stamps it out with powerful small feet.

(from German)