Castanets

I am nine in our car
With my parents on
Our way to a winter
Evening student talent
Show for second-graders,
I am convinced I can play
The castanets and dance
The fandango while my
Father is not so sure
And my mother is amused.
He tells me that if I prefer
We can go out for dinner
Instead of the contest,
I sense his nervousness
So I agree which is lucky
Since I had absolutely
No talent for either
Castanets or fandango
Though my attempts did
Not lack a comic aspect.
Amazing what nonsense
A child can motivate
Sane adults to attempt,
And a little child shall lead
Them is more apocryphal
Than charmingly biblical.
A lesson I tried to guard
Against in raising my
Sons to be free
Thinkers but
To trust
Objectivity
Over subjectivity.
Still, it would have been
Hilariously funny to
Watch my father
As I tried on stage to
Clack castanets
And dance the fandango
While my mother
Laughed her
Head off.
Later,
I did this
Academically
For 46 years and
All over the world lecturing
On cruise ships always
Aware my real job
Was to not to
Lecture but
To entertain my
Audience.
A rule I found
Equally applicable
To dating.