there is an audience here
row after row of wily witnesses
dead and alive and all upright
rigid watchers through day and night
all with something to say
they want to frighten,
they want to enlighten
crying –

“tear us open
take out our insides
to learn the past
to learn the present
to learn the future
divine the world
through us”

poets, playwrights
scholars and crazy men
the passionate and the haters
twisters of fate and fortune
the sad and lonely
drunk, drug infested
saints and sinners
clamour for the eyes
of us all
for it’s with the eyes
that we fall in love
they want our love
they sing for our love

“come crash upon our shores
look upon our pale flesh
tattoed with ink from the forbidden tree
take hand and take hold
in our submission we will
keep you captive –
forever”