“Ms.”

A frozen moment,
in 1965
In a New York apartment
Modest wealth here we reside
A comedy of errors
I won’t be repressed
Facing life with laughter
Is this yesterday’s dress?
A struggle for identity
I have dreams too
Why is he threatened?
It’s always been the two!
He just doesn’t have “it”
He tried and he tried
The echo of crickets
Up on the stage he died
Resentment, festering
He could no longer look into my eyes
While the words liqueurd up
Flowed freely like wine
They were gasping for air
Holding their sides
Even spitting drinks Out
The “Roar” to my surprise!
I’m doing it,
my freedom
I’m somehow following my dream
A woman in comedy
I must have been insane
Women are fragile
Work cosmetic counters
Telephone operators
If she has aspirations they doubt her
Like a camera taking pictures
a bulb I too flashed
How embarrassing in “Jail”?
Oh how long would the shame last?
My mother, my husband
even Worse… My DAD!!!
OH how can I ever face Him
I’ve never done anything So bad! LoL
But I had been bitten
Oh I so loved the lights and stage
I found my true passion
A woman of the modern age
Divorce, recourse,
I bruised his poor ego,
Things just grew cold
He felt he had to let me go
Embarrassed he changed
lost all his desire
No more pursuing
His “Act” now in the fire
We were just starting out in life
To others it seemed that we had it all
He was successful
Me, the perfect mom…
Then textiles, sweat shop
Now he works with His father
So disappointed
Never attaining the laughter
I met a Beat Poet
When I did my time in the cell
I bailed him out
There was something special I felt
He’s a veteran of stage,
he knew the scene
He’d show me the ropes
Celebrity King
Bruce, loose,
shaken and stirred
Cool, social narrative
Counter culture verse
Late Night, Brave fight
television appearances
He made the “To Watch” list…
Even worse, they called him Communist
He didn’t care,
lived Life with a flare
Oh yes! I want THAT
To make people laugh
Forget all their problems
Be a First Class Act!
Oh…. Act 2
I’m on my way
Touring the country
A new city each day
My manager and I
Played for the flight boys
One show after another
Such a marvelous adventure
This coming of age
A true liberation
With so much earned laughter
A sweet celebration
“Tits Up”
© (matthew bowers) ~93