FANS

THEY POP UP BEHIND YOU
IN SILLY SURPRISE
AND STAND THERE
SMILING WITH
BIG BRIGHT EYES
WANTING TO TOUCH
AND SHAKE A HAND
SHY AND HALF-NERVOUS
MAKING A STAND,
AS I WANDER THE
FESTIVAL SHOOTING
THE ARTISTS
I MEET QUITE A FEW
THAT KNOW ME
ON CUE
THEY WATCH THE TV SHOW
WHILE CREATING
THE WORK
THAT BRINGS THEM
TO MARKET
ON HIGHT END ALERT,
THEY STAND BEHIND
COUNTERS, SHUFFLING
THEIR FEET,
PUSHING AHEAD
WHILE BEING DISCREET,
JUST TRYING TO
SHOW THEIR WARES,
IT’S A HARD ACT
TO MAINTAIN
WHILE NOBODY CARES,
THEN WE ARRIVE TO
QUERY AND TOUCH,
WHILE WE REALLY DO FILM
AND FULFILL THEM
AS SUCH,
AND IN BACK OF
MY HEAD
I REMEMBER INSTEAD
THE SAME EXACT FEELINGS
THAT LEFT ME IN REELING
AND SCARED SENSATION
WAS IT LONG AGO
OR JUST THE OTHER DAY
WHEN I WAS TRYING
TO WIN THEIR WAY,
RECOGNITION COMES
SLOWLY, LIKE RINGING
A BELL, FIRST YOU
YANK AND YOU PULL
AND GO THROUGH
SOME HELL, PUSHING
TO FIND THE GROOVE
THAT WILL FIT.
MAKE THE GOODS
PUBLIC AND ALWAYS
A HIT,

Westend Festival
 
THE FANS WATCH
ALL THIS AS
THEY ASK FOR A TOKEN
I KINDLY OBLIGE
FOR MY HEART HAS
BEEN BROKEN
MANY A TIME
AS I WAITED MY TURN
FOR THE SPOTLIGHT
TO BURN ME
END THE SWEET YEARN
FIND AND RETURN ME,
THEY SURELY DON’T
REALIZE
JUST WHERE I
HAVE BEEN
OR THAT ALL THESE
GREAT COMPLIMENTS ARE
TAKEN AGAIN
IN THE DUSK OF THE
EVENING
WHEN I’M HOME
AND ALONE,
LOOKING AT PHOTOS
AND MOVIES AND PHONES,
THEY GIVE ME A WARMTH
THAT HAS NOT BEEN AWAITED
OR VALUED WITH EASE:
THEY JUST ASK
FOR A HUG
AND AIM TO PLEASE
WAIT FOR A HANDSHAKE
AND SLIGHTLY RETRIEVE,
IT’S THE BEST OF ALL
GIFTS,
WHEN THE PARADIGM
SHIFTS,
AND YOUR PART
COMES TO HELP AND
CONFER,
THE WHEEL TURNS
THE EARTH BURNS
WITH EXOTIC ALLURE
AND FATE SENDS A KISS
WHEN THESE
THINGS OCCUR:
THE LOVE AND THE PAIN
BECOME A HOT BLUR…

©J.W. WINSLOW 9/1/15