Lear, V, iii
It is either prepare to spend
a lot of money to get equipment
or make friends with someone
who already has room, staff,
equipment, and imagination,
and would be willing to share
now… in the spirit of keeping
live performance… alive… live.
(Though equipment is very hot stuff:
virus loves a microphone and lens
cap!) As for the show going on,
the authorities are only talking
about sport stadiums, renegade
churches, and restaurants…
but here in NYC we all know it’s code
for living theater, opera, ballet;
everything we love and live for…
Performers will HAVE to have
antibody tests… the divided self…
though, there are several plays
that might actually benefit
from masked performances.
Japanese, Venetian, French.
Modern. Or old Greek
masks with fabric stretched
across the mouths to keep spit
from flying all over fellow actors
standing, proclaiming from
the processional end. Hang
in there. This won’t last forever.
Wash those paws. Wilson,
a border collie, an alert sheep dog,
eyes a screen of sheep
from across a keyboard;
I, too, have shifted to working
remotely from home.
