You’re on stage
naked
singing
Sweet Jane
unplugged,
shoulders leaking bad whiteness
into a vortex
of mysterious chords.
You finish with a subdued flourish
and only one person claps
but you’re not in the least bit
chagrinned
because that’s
everyone.
Richard King Perkins II is a state-sponsored advocate for residents in long-term care facilities. He lives in Crystal Lake, IL, USA with his wife, Vickie and daughter, Sage. He is a three-time Pushcart, Best of the Net and Best of the Web nominee whose work has appeared in more than a thousand publications.