The Encore

Are you now denied all access Has your ticket long been punched Is your fear stuck in the alley Intermezzo—out to lunch Will you even see the picture From the far end of the line Would a curtain serve to raise your hopes Can a loser ever shine The doorman calls “It’s Showtime” As the lights all start to dim An usher cries “There’s One Seat Left” You madly rush within With eyes now strained in darkness You find that one last chair And on the stage, hope kisses fear, —all encores yours to share (Villanova Pennsylvania: February, 2017)