A One Man's Show Poem by RIC BASTASA

now, this is my last instruction for you
hear it well: when you travel in this boat
you paddle, there is no machine
your hands are paddles
your boat your body
your steer your foot
now they do not mind you but you speak a lot
and laugh a lot
they will not comment somehow
trusting you
that you know where to go
and what to bring
and when and where to finally stop
the boat and keep it
on the other side of this big river
the point is
you will never know whether you have arrived or not
they just keep on watching
and they will hear every groaning and moaning
that your are making
as though you are making love with
someone invisible
things are complicated finally
at first you proclaim
this is a simple matter and i know fully well what is happening
but that is not the case really

when you arrive there
there will be big changes
clothes change from blue to white
you will grow a beard
and your fingers are no longer proportional to your arms
some things appear smaller than normal
and you being to
shy away from everybody who keeps on seeing you
stalking you
but their mouths are shut
like a wall
that once was a door

things are different now
very complicated
harrowing experiences of doves and bats begin to unfold
some worms scream finally
they shout your name
and you close your ears and
sleep.

the life that they call a stage
lets the curtain fall
it is the end of your show
and they all begin to leave you
alone again.


(For Erye... )