The Puppet Man
pull the string, watch the dolls dance
blood runs from my finger tips
maybe this time it will change
calm my fears or ease my pain
see my marionettes take your stage
watch your laughter, feel your rage
safely sitting
program in hand
three cheers for the puppet man
pull the string, watch the dolls dance
blood runs from my finger tips
maybe this time it will change
calm my fears, ease my pain
i see your faces, swoons and frowns
watching fixed, puppet take puppet down
they're not real, you carefully remind
while i silently die standing behind
pull the string, watch the dolls dance
blood runs from my finger tips
maybe this time it will change
calm my fears, ease my pain
with human hate they dance for you
showing the worst the we can do
superb! delight! encore' you shout
so once more the toys come out
pull the string, watch the dolls dance
blood runs from my finger tips
maybe this time it will change
calm my fears, ease my pain
the lights are gone, empty isles now
i fall broken, wondering how
these hands will heal, gather strength again
so, you can watch through my gift, friend
pull the string, watch the dolls dance
blood runs from my finger tips
maybe this time it will change
calm my fears, ease my pain
see my marionettes take your stage
watch your laughter, feel your rage
safely sitting program in hand
three cheers for the puppet man
*note: i wrote this poem a few years back while struggling with managing the internal demands that i often felt from others' external behavior around me. i think as children we often take on the role of performing for the 'big' people in our world - and although maturity requires us to grow more autonomous, we many of us struggle well into adulthood to perform for others... it is only a problem when the price is our very health, peace and well being.
**Photo used by permission