J.J. Steinfeld – Ⅲ

Dreams and Exits
 

 

 

In the midst of a slow-moving theatrical event

near the end of a quickly passing year

a man in the third row,

close to the glowing side-Exit sign

stood and declaimed as if an actor on stage,

“I haven’t dreamed in ten years

to the day, to the minute, I emphasize,

but tonight I know I will dream

a dream that will last ten times ten years.”

A diffident usher was summoned

and pulled the man from his row

and toward the exit, polite but forceful.

A few moments later a woman in the eighth row

only two seats away from the row’s exact centre

stood and declaimed as if an actor on stage,

“I haven’t dreamed in twenty years

to the day, to the minute, I emphasize,

but tonight I will dream

a dream that will last twenty times twenty years.”

A second usher, lonely and staving off cynicism, was summoned

and gently helped the woman from her row

and toward the exit, falling in love, shedding cynicism.

I sat there and wanted to stand

to say something to the actors on stage

and the audience in the confused dark

but I had dreamed just last night

a dream of almost theatrical structure

and I did not want to break its transporting spell

besides, I should emphasize,

glowing Exit signs frighten me terribly.