All An Act Poem by Leonard Dabydeen

This platform I stand on
is my playground
my world stage
in the game of life I play
you can come to me
like a bandit in the night
and try to steal what I have
or what I am
or like an angel
full of charm
chaste in gilded armor
with candle-light burning
in the palm of your hands
and with sanctity
wrapped in prayer
it will still be my choice
when I tip-toe on the stage
and hear the cheering
from the illusive audience
and every dance
I perform for you
will be free from antics
of desire visual
through the thin fabric
of my scented underclothes
and when I touch you
to stir the metallic
gender in your heated mind
it will be sweet and swift
until the moment expires
and the encore
fades in the wind
and I return to the stage
knowing deep inside
it’s all an act.