When I was a callow youth

And lacking in renown,

With features fair

Nary a care

My fortune to be found;

I’d wandered far

My mind ajar

Lost in thought so deep,

That I nearly fell

Head first!  Pell mell!

Down a hillside steep.

I caught myself

On a grassy shelf,

And scanned the land below.

When to my view

A valley new

Beckoned to me so.

I set foot to ground

And walked on down,

Adventure leading me,

To a dappled glade

Cool with shade

That hid a mystery.

In that bower

Strewn with flowers

Were there faerie spies?

Who could say,

On that hot day,

What did elude my eyes.

And midst some birdsong

Did I hear

A laughing, babbling stream.

So I thought it best

My head to rest

To sleep, perchance to dream.

As the insects buzzing drone

Transported me away,

I sensed a footfall,

Heard a voice,

These words a man did say:

Are you possessed

Of eloquence?

Do footlights beckon thee?

And stories told

Of virtues old

And foul villainy?

For if they do

A task for you

Then I shall set before.

My relevance

You will sense

And I shall live once more!

The human sagas I do tell

Are known throughout the land.

Vengeful Danes,

Murderous Thanes,

Death by one’s own hand.

Noble friends,

Love’s sweet ends,

Add a ghost or two.

Flattery,

Chicanery,

I share it all with you.

He no longer spoke

And I then awoke,

My journey thus renewed.

But I ne’er forgot

That day so hot,

And what I chose to do.

My life is spent upon the boards

Bathed in theater lights.

A gift I share

With eager air,

Excepting for dogfights.

Yet that is not the only place

My art is to be seen.

Large or small

I give my all

To roles on silver screens.

Roguish lads,

Disgusting cads,

I even sang a tune.

And, truth be told,

A warrior bold

Who makes the ladies swoon.

To be fair, the Tattooed One

Has led us to this day.

Old friends to greet,

New friends to meet

To laugh and dance and play.

 A moment’s pause,

Lest we forget,

Our special friends tonight.

Their love is free,

Bright worlds they see,

Would that I had their sight.

And when I speak,

And justice seek,

As if I were Maquis,

Remember then….

Remember when….

Life was unfair to thee.

Though, for now, brave Voyager

Warps through star filled heavens,

Its end must come.

Too soon for some.

No, I don’t marry Seven.

Thus, I cast my eye upon

Another destination.

On Venetian shores

A jealous Moor;

A pending incarnation.

Yet, it seems fair strange to me,

Though I’ve searched far and wide,

That dappled glade

With cooling shade

Titania would hide.

For when I find it I am sure

A fool is what I’ll seem.

For yet again

I’ll rest my head

To sleep, perchance to dream.

And through the insects’ buzzing drone

The Bard may speak with me,

Of relevance

And eloquence

Beside a babbling stream.