John are you coming to bed<\/p>\n
He’s up again
\npacing
\nsame thing last night
\nand every night<\/p>\n
It’s the play
\nof course
\nit’s always the play
\nhe worries about his lines
\nhis makeup
\nhis costume
\nwill people come
\nhe dreads an empty house
\nhe gets all ready
\nand nobody comes
\nHe has this nightmare
\nhe’s going onstage
\ndoesn’t know
\nwhat part he’s playing
\nwhat the lines are
\nwhich costume to wear
\n(so he’s naked)
\nwhat the play is about
\nwhere to stand on stage
\neveryone is looking at him<\/p>\n
he wakes up choking
\nsweating gasping
\nI know his fear is smothering
\ndrowning in something solidifying
\nlike ice or wax or congealing fat
\nhe told me
\none stark night
\nthe moon was raking his face
\nand he looked strange
\nreflected in the mirror as well
\nand the figure in the mirror
\nwas tembling gesticulating
\nterrified I felt so sorry for
\nthe figure in the mirror
\nit looked so old
\nso old<\/p>\n
Every time he reads for a play
\nI wonder if this will be the killer
\nwill this take the great
\nfinal slice out of his heart<\/p>\n
He cares so much
\nAnd I look at the audience
\nduring intermission
\nmunching on their H\u00e4agen-Dazs
\ntalking about Michaelangelo
\nor whatever else they know
\nand I wonder if any of it
\nis worth a slice of heart<\/p>\n
I think of his reflection
\nstark and trembling in the dark
\ntouched by the moon
\nand I wish
\nhe were a little boy
\nso I could take him in my arms
\nand rock him
\nand tell him<\/p>\n
you cry
\nyou cry as much as you want
\nI’m here
\nit will be all right<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
John are you coming to bed He’s up again pacing same thing last night and every night It’s the play of course it’s always the play he worries about his lines his makeup his costume will people come he dreads … Continue reading