{Poem} - When the Curtains Drop

This piece came from a virtual writing group I'm a part of. Each of the four of us chose two words at random, and then we were tasked to incorporate as many of the words into our respective pieces as possible.
This is a much-loved prompt technique learned through our beloved former teacher and current friend, Stephanie Domet. She's incredible - check out her latest here.

That "word soup" poured out as follows:

- Trekking
- Dust
- Thunder
- Velvet
- Caper
- Volatile
- Fancy
- Thrill

When the Curtains Drop

Oh what a thrill to be invited to love another person.

Whether the door to the heart be thrown wide with wild abandon or barely cracked and creaking – to trek through the complexities of what makes a them a they is a thing of beauty all its own.

It’s a risky thing to allow another to trek and trod upon your triggers, bracing for impact.

To be witness to your dirt, your dust, your aches and insecurities

not knowing if you’ll meet embrace or exile.

These are the risks associated with anything at all worth doing.

art - community - connection

It’s been a caper of our imaginations - turned against us. 

Instead of kaleidoscopes and skipping rocks

we’re typing in grayscale - and skipping meals.

Expected to know how to be human in an aching world 

where we all feel like some kind of fraud

and shame is wielded like a weapon.

When all at once the velvet curtains drop and the masks crumble

will it be thunderous applause or deafening silence?

They’re banking on our fears  

we’ll be too powerful if we take these kinds of risks after all

The all-too-reliable stock market of disconnection - thrown into volatility 

By an overwhelming desire to walk carefully 

As it pertains to the hearts of fellow humans

All just nervous grown-ups looking for a how-to guide 

dressed up in fancy adult stock market suits

That never even fit us in the first place.