stAge Fright Edit 1.01 Ella, leah, christophersea

[Grace]

Say what you wish, now we're alone
inside our common dread.
I will not speak to criticise, for time we squeeze
between warm palms must not slip free
to run like sands through clapping hands,
hot with praise and swollen red.
I say so little anymore,
of consequence or worth.
Since youth bowed out--exit stage left--
and credence left on cue,
this play has gone from bad to worse.

tectak
2012

Hi tectak,

I really like this poem. I stumbled at lines 3 and 4, as I paused after " for time we squeeze" and then re-read 3 and 4 to work out that the method of squeezing is a hand shake. It might read better "for time squeezed" (continuous), as the emphasis then falls on 'time' which must not "slip free to run like sands". This may not make sense, but just a thought! Thank you. Grace