Tantrums and Editing

A comic poem about the editing process which usually takes me 5-10 times as much effort as the initial "creative" writing part.

               Tantrums and Editing

           You can often tell a poem
               is near to completion
           when, after several visits,
      it wishes to remain unchanged,
          left unmolested and intact.
                There is a new sign
          on the dressing room door
           that says, "Do not disturb."

      It resists having words removed.
     It develops favorites and loyalties
               you weren’t aware of.
          Since you were the creator
          you thought you could edit
                       as you liked,
                but you were wrong.
                
    As you approach with a clipboard
        and a pencil behind your ear,
                 you hear phrases,
        always in a stage whisper, like
  “Here comes that heartless bastard."
          "Go ahead, take the one
                   with no rhythm,
                  he'll never scan."
       "If you cut me, will I not bleed?"

     Things can get a little hysterical.
         Calmer moments will come,
                        eventually. 
          You return after a suitable
                 cooling off period.

                 You tell them that
            the costumes look good,
                    the set is great,
              the acting is solid and
          the director knows their job.
                 And yet, you know,
                something is wrong. 

              You wander the wings
               and pace the boards.
                  You haunt the set,
                 feeling for the flaw.

          Then you spot the phrase
          that needs to be changed,
          the word that must be cut.
     There's a collective sigh of relief,
           as the splinter is removed. 
         There are smiles all around
          and many stop by to wink
     and tell you they knew as much. 
              
             You remind everyone
    that good poetry is good theatre
       and to the ones who were cut,
     there will be more plays to come.
               They will be needed.

            That’s just good editing
          and excellent people skills.