Looking at the mirror isn't easy
after so many years.
Still, it helps to realize
our bodies were not made in Hollywood,
and also that many roles in each drama
are staged with subtle lies.
The heroes of most dramas
are decided long before plays begin,
& many characters
seem destined to relish sin.
What happens on podiums
under faltering lime lights
is mere entertainment:
fiction for the masses
sanctioned from on high.
Accepting such tragi-comedy
what should actors do?
Ah, your number is coming up!
Will you fret about performing perfectly?
Do any of us ever make it through?
