he thrived on the approving nod,
the thumbs up,
the intoxicating applause
but slowly learned that
attention is fickle
adoring eyes soon flit
upon other shiny new objects
there is always
an understudy in the wings,
a new kid in town,
an up-and-comer hungrier than you
and so he grew to relish
his own soliloquy
his own tree crashing
silently in the forest
06/14/17