Opera Glasses

I am a precocious
Child of 12 sitting
By my mother at a
Performance at the
Muni open-air opera
In the park in St. Louis,
She hands me her
Opera glasses and I
Scan the stage sets
Singers and move on
To the audience who
Are similarly scanning.
I see fidgety stagehands
Pushing scenery sets,
Children being whacked
Or shaken on the outskirts
Of the audience under the
Stoa horseshoe while
Vendors prepare for the
Intermission to hawk ice
Creams candy soft drinks.
The real performance takes
Place through the opera
Glasses while the singers
Observe behind their roles.
So much of life has turned
Out just so, if we observe
What is happening beyond
Our roles of daily routine we
Can discern the panoply
Of life around us and better
See ourselves in context.
Look up from time to time
To smell the coffee and
Enjoy the rhythm of life.
I think our planet must
Be the most popular
Sitcom drama
In the universe
Tuned in to
Observe
Our
Shenanigans.