The Final Act

Rustling in the seats
alert us
to the finale.

To bad
life isn't like that
warning us
alerting us
shaking us

To make us aware that
we have only
one more act

To chastize us enough
so we will learn
to savor the final words.

But life isn't like that.

Often we have
no final Acts.

Some of us don't even have
first Acts.

If our lives were
more like
Shakespeare's plays

We'd be guaranteed
five full acts
with many scenes.

We'd be guaranteed
humor
with a little tragedy.

We'd be guaranteed
tragedy
with a little humor.

We'd each have a more rounded life.

Instead...
many of our lives are merely
one act shows

Or...
mere
monologues

Neither developed well-enough
to craft
more than a thinly developed theme.

So I hope each of you
strive for
five full acts

Strive for a rustling in the seats
to remind you that

The final act
is about to begin.