Poetry | Memoir | Subtext
Acting for Humans
A poem
Note: I’ve been reflecting on my history of actor training and teaching. At some point I let a line become blurred, or never drew one, between learning to play a character and learning to be myself.
it’s not about the ice
the teacher said that time
in the lesson on sub-text
microparticles invade and embed
feeding on host not just in the head
a double agent took it down
enrolled spy
seeking lessons in
how to survive
but also the guts the bones and the blood
eggs of uncracked codes to ever infer
on stage, sure
but everywhere
amongst everyone
and now they know
how to trust any when you can’t even tell
if the things that you say are intended reveals
can I have some ice
is not about the ice
if on stage or screen or page
(or life, jokes the teacher, using his hand
in that ‘I’m telling you a grownup secret’ gesture)
we open our mouths to give or to get
to change, manipulate, or bypass regret
life is a series of objectives and obstacles
for the story to matter to the audience
(the gods, jokes the teacher, the pupils laugh again)
the objective must be encompassing
enough to be worth destroying
every obstacle
human or otherwise
words are just tactics employed by the speaker
to further their story at the cost of all others
jesus, that must be some good ice
the spy dutifully jokes
experimenting with subtext
so change how you listen and change how you love
always be searching for subtext to prove
it’s not about the ice
the teacher says again
