Songs-in-a-Bottle

Songs-in-a-Bottle Pete's Songs in a Bottle

prev next © plug list home prev next

the Actor in the Play

exhausting weeks in preparation, building on a firm foundation, making sure my lines are known
ironing out all imperfections, mastering verbal inflexions, till they fully are my own
I will assimilate all character traits, I will consume with head and heart
and thus convincingly assume a someone else and play the part

with pace and poise in presentation, vocal-cord articulation, I will sway you to my side
with words will sail the seven oceans and manipulate emotions, even dare to turn your tide
I will with subtlety persuade you to me, to at my words rejoice or grieve
as I transport you to the world of someone else you will believe

hushed I may deliver to you some soliloque, urging you be sympathetic with me
words wherein I pregnantly pause quite deliberately, thought-provoking you discomfitingly

(stand and verbally undress
work the weak and the strong stress
there is method in madness)

here in role protrayal I stand , naked on the stage
making you suspend belief and engage

(luminated in limelights
from the pen of the playwrights
new conjectures and insights)

(comedy, tragedy, many moods and many faces
prosody, poetry, rhapsody in airs and graces)

I am a victim of oppression, or a sot with an obsession, or a tryant or a fool
I am attired in costume clothing, and invite your love or loathing, or I'm kind or I am cruel
either a child, or in the wisdom of age, either I'm straight or I am gay
I now present myself before you as the actor in the play
humbly I strut and prate before you as the actor in the play
I now perform for You Spectator as the Actor in the play

---