Entry for October 25, 2008

Today I saw a play. 
Not a very good one, 
One that more likely than not 
Will sit in the deep parts of the brain 
Far from recollection 
In a time that grows shorter and shorter with age; 
But even as a buck this play would fade fast to dim. 
Yet such production, such work,
Such study, such funding, 
Even the concessionaire had to 
Slather the rolls with mayo and 
Place the beef between the bread 
And fill the urn with grinds 
And chill the beer 
And uncork the Chablis 
While long from now 
Or really short from now 
I’ll recall fondly the chocolate chips 
And hot tea they served me with a smile 
With more affection than the play 
Or the actors will draw forth. 
I liked the play I did. 
Dozed a second or two between jokes 
Those not so funny jokes 
Those obvious corny ones 
Those heavy handed scenes. 
But how hard it is 
How hard one tries 
To succeed at the writing of a play;
How struggling it is, 
How challenging, 
How aloof the brass ring 
Which grasps itself the people's hearts 
And then their minds 
And their guts 
And kidney pies too. 

Hokey pokey pudding pie 
Sure ain’t easy 
To make the folks cry 
And sure ain’t easy 
To make the girls laugh 
When nobody's lookin 
Or pullin their pants. 

Hokey pokey pudding pie 
Time to live 
Or time to say why 
Caesar today 
Looms larger as a salad 
Than as an emperor or a play, 
And Shakespeare his bard 
Looms nearly as large
As a fishing pole 
Than as a Lear lover.

Today is funny
The markets squirrel round 
In the topsy like sound 
Of job loss and pudding 
Mushing together daily 
In the morning news 
"Bring Back Britney" 
The fans cry, 
Fans of simple times 
When bad news in truth 
Was no news 
And when news was a story 
That Buffet understood 
As easily as "Celebrity Divorced". 
And when "Home Run Hit" 
Roared its themes above the land. 

It’s a fine mess we're in Ollie,
May be, Sir,
Baby maybe.