Anklets In The Dust

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[Verse 1]
Red border sari
Pinned with care
Jasmine in her hair
Oil lamp flickers
Calling

Silver bells restless
At her feet
Heartbeat learning
Every beat
Each beat

[Chorus]
Turn
Little flame
Turn
Let the ankle bells answer
Hands tell the story
Eyes hold the secret laughter
Stamp on the earth
Till the old dust starts to dance
Turn
Little flame
Turn
This is your first big chance

[Verse 2]
Grandma’s bangles
Softly ring
Counting cycles
As they swing

Left palm a river
Right palm the rain
One circle
Two circles
Joy inside the pain

[Chorus]
Turn
Little flame
Turn
Let the ankle bells answer
Hands tell the story
Eyes hold the secret laughter
Stamp on the earth
Till the old dust starts to dance
Turn
Little flame
Turn
This is your first big chance

[Bridge]
[Claps build
Crowd call-and-response]
Left heel
Right heel (hey!)
Draw the sky
The ground (hey!)
Every spin
Every stillness
Writes your name out loud

[Chorus]
Turn
Little flame
Turn
Let the ankle bells answer
Hands tell the story
Eyes hold the secret laughter
Stamp on the earth
Till the old dust starts to dance
Turn
Little flame
Turn
This is your first big chance