You can memorize a thousand lines
And you can make a thousand people laugh
You can give time and a half
You can invite people to a world they’ve never been
You can fill their faces with mile long grins
You can hear the thunder of an applause
As hoots and hollers come out their jaws
But when the crowd leaves
When they take away their energy like thieves
It is then that you must return to yourself
When you must return to the person you are
And remember every single emotional scar
When your character goes to sleep
It is you who will have to weep
So you can memorize every line
You can do everything to make your character shine
But when the lights go out
Then you’ll be given back all of your doubt
Yet
If you decide that the lines are who you are
And you’re willing to go too far
Then perhaps the character never went to sleep
Maybe all you are is your characters built into a heap

Today I sat in a room full of people
And listened as they read their lines trying not to make a mistake
Today I sat in a room full of people
All trying to prove they belong and have the talent to be there
Today I sat in a room full of people
Who are trying to fit in and not be hated
Today I sat in a room full of people
Who don’t understand
That they are sitting in a room full of people
And they are the background
For the other peoples
Room
Full
Of
People

This is a link to my campaign. I am writer, I have written a play geared towards social change. I have a self-esteem workshop I teach in conjunction with the play. We are 16 days away from the show happening and so much still has to be done! Including raising the funding! Please share this if you know someone willing to help!

http://igg.me/at/7HPrm4thiKw/x/10270964

Like Romeo and Juliet
You told me you love me
and that I must understand:
“Love 'till the end.”

You went ahead
with your plan
of destructive madness,
you left me alone, why did you go?

You set the stage,
smokes and sirens,
You shine in the light,
You are the queen of this night.

Do you care,
or did you care,
that you'll leave me alone,
just on my own. Forever.

Do you know,
that the distance between us,
is just what you create?
I can't let you go,
understand WHAT?

I'll share your sadness,
I'll drown in your sadness,
but I know I can't stop,
you'll just play your part.

Stage makeup only looks good from
The distance of an audience,
And thick foundation doesn't erase stress,
Only sleepless nights.

The feet of a dancer mingle
with the glitterings of a tenor
in the depths of eternal eternity
He can't help but laugh.

Knowledge knows true
the natural pretentious views of a world
made of wires and shadows and whispers unheard
this isn't made of sugar, but of firing electrons.

The amalgam of truth comes not from imagery
a painting of butterfly breaths timed to milliseconds
but of the young boy sitting in the laps of his seniors
chortling in the shadows of the darkness at the audience.

He knows truth. He knows honest in the arms of the best play
and jokes at the sugary saturation of image
in the depths of comrades' comforting arms
He laughs at folly and wires of creation.

For he created it out of nothing, came together
in darkest hours of burning need to bring forth depiction
and, though it may be unreal, the humanity lies beneath polished
cracks, in the love of boys, girls, men, women, ideas.

A cue for silence croons. All calculated. All ephemeral.
The deception lies on his wan face.
God arrives in the splendor of muscle memory.

it's hard to hold tight
when you want to let go
its hard to not fight
against the dangers below

the path that i walk is one that's well tread
i dream a dream that others have led
but, i focus on that mountain
no, i wont take a bow
not until I'm up on that stage
and you look at me and say "how?"

how? because i fought
how? because i was taught
never forget the path that you choose
if you do that then i promise, you will never lose

this is my advice to those who follow me
stay true to yourself and you'll always be free

Upon observing the horizon
Shades and colors all gray-scale,
I noticed its affinity for her skin
When it's stained red.
And the mountains looking down on me
From the apex of the clouds-
Their beauty caused a callous haze
That almost made me forget.
The way she stood on stage in spotlight,
Awaiting the gradual fade to black
But never ceased her preaching
Even when the curtains fell.
The way the artificial lighting
Caught her eyes avoiding mine;
She wasn't happy, but still,
She smiled when compelled.

Compassion sits at the core of me
And doesn't wholly disperse.
My brain can't fully function
In the shadow of desire.
I could evaluate her absence
But not feel the slightest hurt-
I haven't grasped it yet;
I think she'll appear when required.
They eased us out of it, you see,
Those silhouettes hung over me,
The doubts encompassing my mind
Compensated with her death.
With age heightens indifference;
Every moment contrives distance
From the little girl who broke
At the thought of his regret.

A quick word
about Beneath the Surface
by Dream Theater.  

The song is beautiful
first and foremost.  Depressing
but beautiful.  But
it also scares me.  I don't want to
experience what it describes, but
I also have a horrible feeling
that it will eventually, inevitably happen.  

It'd be even worse
if it also happened to the other person
I'd be involved with.  Not only am I scared
for myself, but for them.
I don't want to be
abandoned, left in the dark
shrugged aside like a mute.
I hate to think that I'm capable
of doing the same thing
to someone else.  That scares me.