Bright Lights

Location

Do we forget,

simply who we are?

When the stage is empty,

the spotlight soothes, the audience cheers, and the limits

don't exist.

 

We all wonder,

what goes on in the head

of a celebrity splashed on a tabloid.

Have they done a new dastardly deed,

or has this week brought them tragedy?

Fascinated, we stare

long and hard- but imperfections are scarce.

Photoshop will do that to you

 

What do we become,

when all that we think about is reaching

                                   higher

                       higher

            higher

higher 

past the ceiling, the limits, the rules, the laws, the advice, the actual good intentions

What do we become?

 

Mirrors hold secrets told to not a soul-

alone we are more vulnerable than we dare

 

Do they blind you?

Does each click of the paparazzi ease away your past?

Do you find refuge in shooting up, in getting high, in throwing back 

shot, after shot, after shot, after shot, after shot, after shot

until all you can feel is quite simply

nothing at all

 

Are they so dazzling

that you forget who you were

all that made the world love you

all that built you into a star

all that your pedestal is made of

all that you were given

all that you had?

 

Do you forget the mission you set out with?

Does the success make you turn

from all the people you said you would help

the people that you promised

to raise from poverty

to build a school for

 

What happened to you?

Are you still there

do you still know what you want

do you still know who you are?

 

Do we still know who you are?

Or do we now determine who you are?

 

Bright lights are wrapped

with pretty words

with nice looking cellophane

with expensive presents

with a-list party invatations

with stars whom you've only see on the movie screen

but remember

 

When the sparkle fades

what is left?

They are bright lights,

simply bright lights.

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