Lament for an audience of One

Why isn’t an audience of one enough?
Because he applauds without flesh and bone hands
Or not at all
Or maybe he’s frowning

But hands of flesh and bone are no help
They clap off beat with the One or else break into clapping between movements instead of waiting until the finale is over and the Conductor faces the audience
They’ll cheer and hoot at anything – ballet, concert, aria – it’s all a hockey game for them
Or they’re talking or videotaping at the most sacred moments.

So hands of flesh and bone are no help because they’re clueless
They only see as a man sees
A depressing choice…the abundant praise of cretans or true discernment, whose lauds may never come
It’s only that one Pair which matters and I can’t hear them
Maybe once in a while, like a phantom flutter across the tympanic membrane
I think I heard it once, maybe a solitary clap
But even then, I’m not always sure whether it’s because I hit the sweet spot or fell on my ass…is it possible to do both at the same time?

©2007, Michael J. Glodo


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