poem

 House Lights

From the hospital

Through a door

That opens up 

On an intimate stage

Of soft lighting

Surrounded by darkness.

This is the way

I make my grand entrance.

The audience is 

Chairs of mirrors

But I don't 

Know that.

As long as I’m 

Performing nothing

I do is ever seen.

End scene.

The lights come on.

Oh no. 

Once again

I’ve been performing

For only myself.

Please turn 

The lights off.

Oh no.

Even here they

Never go off.

The lights are 

Always on.

You're surrounded

By yourself,

All of them

Waiting for you

To do something

Entertaining.  

If you stand 

Perfectly still

Pretty soon

No one can tell

The difference

Between the real

And the watched.

And only then

(and oh so briefly)

Do the lights

Ever go off.

10/29/26