Art of Puppetry.

believe me or not / this is my only life―
prophets find God’s favor in it / ancestors find their future in it;

enemies find faults where they can /
single women find a ring-fitting hand;

& you reach for my soul only to touch human flesh
living life from the script / nothing more, nothing less

/ then i tap dance until my feet ache
until my disenchanted thoughts congregate.

i’m convinced i’ll only get one life / whether or not―
all adversaries agree with it / lonely hearts can live with it;

generations see my purpose at hand /
angelic causes find a pad to land;

& you taste of my youth only to savor human skin―
setup for predeterminations / disinclined to bend

/ then i perform my songs without the jazz
though my unseen strings are the show’s pizzazz