Radiant Children

                                        < Issue 2 >

Radiant Children
      by Paulie Lipman


Fame changes everything

If you're a musician, you can practice
umpteen bone bent hours, fingers bleeding
shouting bone piano keys to the third rail harmonies
and never be heard
But if you're a famous anything else
they'll give you the ear of the world

If you're a musican, they'll grant you a book
An actor, an art show
A dancer, a photo exhibit

All these opportunities, bestowed
for your other accomplishments
A whim, perchance to dabble
They'll call you Rennaisance 
and you'll believe it

For every hobby you are indulged, there
are those who wrap themselves in
the plainest of brick and inexquisite bars
banging their life given tin crown against them
praying anyone 
will find the din transcendent and
the sparks they shed 
beautiful

We will fight you
for those ears
Those are our walls and eyes
Give us back the bandwidth and pages
We
are taking back the dance hall

Boom,
for real