Sometimes it’s good 
to give up and become
a camera in order to

choose a long view over
a close up, deciding upon what
to focus to the exclusion

of all else.  Sometimes
it’s better to shrug and become
a microphone hooked to a 

recorder and catch all the noise
for you to sift and edit to your tastes
later.  Sometimes it’s best of all

to write yourself a role in a grand play
and play it in context, with measured,
mannered voice.

Then comes the moment 
when you cannot transform into
the tool or medium of your choice

and you are forced
to be human, 
finally aware of how much

you have been privileged
to experience life
on whatever terms you chose,

and next you may rage and roil in pain
or fall into a swamp of tears,
but that is when you will begin to understand

that from then on, whenever
you are moved to reach for art,
art will no longer be a choice.