Audience

We do our best to play our parts –
in card tricks, verse, mixed martial arts –
but something gets caught in the fence –
we cannot find an audience.

We like to think that what we do
is entertaining, funny, true –
we trill our tune until it glistens –
but almost no one ever listens.

We’re not an egocentric jerk –
we know we ought to love the work –
we’ve heard that that should be enough –
the rest, we’re told, is merely “stuff.”

But surely we should not berate
our hunger to communicate –
no less than E. M. Forster pecked
out on his keys: “only connect.”

So here’s the thing: go out and play
and razz your dazzles anyway –
forget who doesn’t come to call:
somebody will see it all.




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