Play For Today (Poetry)

Let us play at happy families
we must learn our lines by heart
life’s become one long performance and
everyone has a bit part

Any drama’s slow unwinding
though the undercurrent’s tense
and the conversation’s stilted
plus it seldom makes much sense

Dull routine provides the structure
to the programme every day
each performance mediocre
there’s no Oscar on the way

While the scene changes aren’t many
and the costume fittings few
death provides some variation
in the usual cast and crew

Though we might pretend to mourn them
with a tasteful show of grief
the truth seems rather chilling
for it’s more of a relief

It’s a strain this acting business
wears the body and the soul
and the house feels cold and empty
when the final credits roll