Untitled (My Director) Poem by Jeremy D. Wells

Feed me a line and I'll speak it
Give me a script and I'll read it
My improvisation is obviously insufficient, my director
and though I surely believed I was chosen for the natural talents I displayed,
it is obvious that you saw someone who looked the part
and assumed I would give you that which you desired.
And surely I will, my director,
for my only objective is to please.
My dedication is to the production,
not my own petty ego,
so tell me what to say,
and how to say it,
and I will do as you ask.
But please do not write in the character of a son,
and ask me not to play the part of the father.
And understand that my brooding melancholy and solitude are side effects of my dedication,
as is the sharp tongue
like a knife, honed through practice and use and often cutting accidentally.
These are the hazards of casting me in a performance you should be aware of my director,
so do not blame me for past rehearsals,
you knew the character I was playing
and still,
you placed me center stage.
But understand that my desire to direct myself is now long gone.
Too many failed productions and others that never began.
Now I only want to follow the motions,
to be a part of the scenery,
and to act.
So feed me a line and I'll speak it.
Give me a script, and I'll read it.