Behind the Curtain

A world of make believe

Of miracles and suspense

Of sorrow and beauty

Of wonder and cruelty

Of heroes and myths

Where time can pause or leap at will

Where one man's speech brings an empire to its knees

Where devious ploys are revealed and shattered

Where prince becomes pauper in the blink of an eye

When beauty mesmerizes and has its way

When legends are revealed for all to see 

When tales are weaved with grace and skill

When dreams are sold at prices untold

A world untouched by fear

A world where pain is a myth

A world where loss is only until curtain call

And a world where only applause can break the spell

A world I love.

Joke's on Me

I always thought you'd be the one, the one to see right through me

I guess I hoped a little too much, or maybe it was just my plea

I lived in fears and fury untold, I played out acts and scenes on cue

I rolled the dice and moved my piece, all the while I waited for my due

Of all the pain and ridicule, of all the waiting and dreaming

for all the laughing and feeling, I was just part of your scheming

Joke's on me, Joke's on me...

I coulda changed things around, make no mistake I know it still

I shoulda just told you outright, and maybe you woulda just flushed that pill

You drew me in and kept me there, mesmerized by the glory of your lie

You kept me just close enough, knowing that I was too blind to care

Joke's on me, joke's on me...

You played this out from the start, every move, every part

You made me play along, and I did so, for you made it into art

And in that lovely symphony of ours, you never let me see you were wailing

All I saw was beauty and joy, how would I know that trapped, you were ailing

I didn't know it was a game, I gave it my all, my heart, my soul

I didn't know you had an end in mind, I didn't know you were heading for a fall

Joke's on me, joke's on me...

I laugh now, yes I can laugh about it now, about the strings you pulled with such skill

You dragged me in and left me as retribution, I should hate you and that pill

But tell me now, for once, for ever 

You who thought you were so clever

You made one slip, one little error 

 For how, how will I be the damned 

When The Joke's On me?           

For you. And me. And us. and we.

You

Look at me.

No, not through.

At.

Just this once

Observe me. Absorb me. Define me.

What do you see?

Brows arched in mockery

Cold, shrewd gaze.

And lips bent into a sneer.

Now just once, look.

Just look.

Do you see the eyes are blank

only becuase I'm afraid you'll read them?

Do you see that I sneer

only because if I smile, you may not return it?

Of course not. 

No, don't lie to yourself.

Or to me.

How many acts have you left?

How many hopes have you shattered?

How many dreams have you torn asunder?

How many times have you left me battered?

You could see it all. 

You just won't look.

And that's fine.

I like this dance.

I'm sneering right now.

I'll hold my own

Would you like to take your bow?

I'll hold my sneer

My gaze will shred

And I'll stay so

Until I lose my dread

You need the act

I understand.

I'll pay for your cowardice

And hold this till the last stand

Me

No one's that good an actor

Atleast that's what they say

Someone should tell them about you

And the dreams you've made me slay

Your mask never slips

Your grease paint never fades

Sinuous, perfect, it becomes you

Or is that just another shade?

In vain hope I play myself

All masks are off, and I am me

And you, with the vengeful eyes

You leave me damned for eternity

How many acts have you left?

How many hopes have you shattered?

How many dreams have you torn asunder?

How many times have you left me battered?

I know your game now

It's taken me far too long

But I've finally learned to play

And am ready for my swansong

You and Me

Locked in this together, we spin an elaborate web

Tremulous, all consuming, innumerable threads

All it takes is one tiny shard

To rip the whole thing to shreds

One question remains, as it almost always will

To what do we owe this madness?

One step too many? One dance too few?

To ponder more would be a great sadness

How many acts have we left?

How many hopes have we shattered?

How many dreams have we torn asunder?

How many times have we been left battered?

Rip! Tear! Shred! 

Destroy the web and watch it unravel

Ah! An answer in the final tearing strands

Some things are beauty untold and joy forbidden

Mere mortals!

We should simply never have been so bold.

Never tell a child

Never tell a child he's special.
Because one day someone will tell him "you're all the same to me", and break his heart.

Never tell a child he's the best.

Because one day someone will tell him "he won because he was better than you," and break his heart.

Never tell a child he's gifted.

Because one day someone will tell him "we are sorry to reject you, but you're just not gifted enough," and break his heart.

Never tell a child he's the smartest little boy you know.

Because one day someone will tell him "I'm sorry, but he's smarter than you, because he got there first," and break his heart.

Never tell a child he's oh so beautiful.

Because one day someone will walk right past him and break his heart.

Never tell a child that anything is possible.

Because one day someone will tell him "astronaut? Don't be ridiculous, pick something more plausible," and break his heart. 

Never tell a child that no one can stop him from doing what he wants to.

Because one day someone'll send him an envelope saying "rejected," and it will break his heart.

Never tell a child that he's meant to do great things. 

Because one day someone'll ask him "what makes you think you can change anything?" and it will break his heart.

Never tell a beautiful, talented, special child what he is.

Because he believes you.

Masquerade

I know what I said.
Please.
I'm good with words
I choose them wisely
consciously, precisely


I watched your face
Watching mine for cues
Your lips
wondering which way to curl
Your eyes
Beautiful, by the way
not that I'll ever tell you that
Looking into mine
to decide
to spark or spill


I decide.


My eyes
prettier than yours, hah
lead you on
I sneer.
Openly
You think it part of the play


We play out the masquerade
timed, planned, scripted
No missteps, glorious motions
You, always one step behind
You, always a second too slow
The dub to my lub
The pocus to my hocus
The blink to my wink


People think it perfect
So well do they go together
these long ago written pairs
I whisper silent gratitude


And you
you think it right
Why would you not?


Someday you'll know
that was part of the script too
I wrote out your lines even before mine
the actor in this was me, not you


Only, I burned your words
and let you follow mine