The Jester

the jester bowed, took off his hat
pants came down, shirt off his back
staring at the hollow man
reflected in his body
a hard day's work is always done
another's fun for another meal
a worthy trade to feed his son
a war long lost for a battle won
to see himself again

a hand in front, a hand on back
leaning forward for himself
claps his hands, an empty sound
is there a jester without a crowd?

he still can hear the people cheer
his dance of shame for their approval
he clicks his heels without his boots
to feel the naked pain
look again, oh look again,
the jester, is he me?
the jester, who is he?
better twist, and tuck, and tie,
and squirm back in his fateful guise

a hand in front, a hand on back
leaning forward for himself
claps his hands, an empty sound
is there a jester without a crowd?

Starvation

I am unfit to thrive in this place
the rules, the priorities, the logic, the wants of the masses,
they brutally and completely overlook the best of me
my greatness is alien: confusing, unintelligible, irrelevant,
lost in an ocean of the lost
my ordinary is unworthy of my pride
but it alone can pay the bills
dreaming to leave,
I am tethered to the ground by the gravity of common voices yearning
for commiseration at the lowest common denominator
how dare I want more?
my wish insults the well from which I drink
what have I if I lose my life? what is life if I cannot wish?
life is tension, stretching need from need, want from want,
soul from bones...until I snap
life is everything...until I am nothing
what am I if I neglect my soul?
what is a soul but its inability to lie?
despite all practical wisdom, I am a slave to my standards
I cannot help but create towards them
until my work reflects what I, being who I am,
ought to accomplish
but I sense now that the day of my greatest accomplishment,
the day when I feel the most proudly myself,
will also be the day of my deepest disappointment
on that day, I will step back from my work,
breath in the freedom of its release,
and realize that I am utterly alone in my joy,
and complete in my sorrow