Tribal Beats Ease The Feats

This poem uses required phrases to discuss tense situations.

The day lay heavily across her shoulders
As she made her way home that night
She dragged her bloated fish-belly
Into the kitchen and sagged
Against the sand-scoured design
Someone had pressed into the counter.

In this pose, her ears perked at the sound
Of manic music that pulsed
From somewhere within her house
And she moved down ivy-covered walls
To find the source of the noise.

A group of teenagers had moved in
And the basement surged
Like vibrating talons.
She was pulled into the ménage
And swiftly found her feet
Joining their tribal surge.

One guy laughed and said
You dance scarlet
As he pointed at her
Deeply purpled mask.
She didn't mind.

All this dancing seemed to loosen
The day's strangled hold
And she smiled for the first time
As her body let loose
In the waves of sound.

27 lines.

September 25 Prompt ▶︎

Prompt for: Sept 25, 2015 (fyn) READ CAREFULLY!!!
Subject or Theme: STRESS! You must use FIVE (or more) of the TEN PHRASES below (exactly as they are listed) in your poem.
Phrases to Include: REMEMBER: Use 5 of the 10 at least! dance scarlet, bloated fish-belly, sand-scoured design, bone-cold black waters, jagged stained-glass, ivy-covered wall, deeply purpled mask, vibrating talons, manic music, dust motes dangle
Forbidden Word(s): stress, nerves, I, feel (or any derivatives of these words)
Additional Parameters: free verse only, no rhyming, minimum of 24 lines
Remember, do not use forbidden words ANYWHERE, including title or the brief description.