Let Me Present

The Presentation (of you)

By Big Frank Dickinson

“That's easily fixed” is said by the editor of moves;
as though cut and paste applied to actions.
The motivation comes from the home
of straight lines, eternal truths, and standards.
Yes, standards that may be deviated from
but only in reference to an overarching standard that is
never taken less seriously, by you, than in the dress rehearsals
where improvisation rules and you believe there is no audience.
Still these unrepresentative rehearsals (all preludes for later)
are often critiqued by those who are unaware that you’re still in rewrite, and
and off the mark of what you should have been. The standard applied.
Well now, that unreality of sorts is in fact true, you see what they can’t:
it’s not really you; here’s where the fact and the art part.
As much as you know the difference; and see it in terms of various yous
(there are a bunch of those), there is only one that matters,
the one that's marked your move, and it’s already been rejected
As much as you might enjoy a veal piccata on a plain white plate,
when it’s served in a bucket with a spade, there’s
something terribly wrong, so wrong that it will be
rejected even if you’re told that the essence was the same.
And while you’d never err so grossly, being only marginally off the mark,

a seal toccata, for example, will still leave you in the dark.