THE FLEDGLING STAND-UP COMIC FROM NEW JERSEY
THE FLEDGLING STAND-UP COMIC FROM NEW JERSEY
Brian Le Lay
Irate before the Jay Leno
Of his daydreams,
Because even in the mirror
The studio audience
Stops laughing, he lusts
To solidify himself
As the archetypal Everyman
With a puppet on his hand,
Christopher sees himself
As a social critic,
He can see his high school
Woodshop teacher
In the third row
“Go back to building
Rickety bookshelves
And tenement birdhouses kid”
Says the studio audience
In the mirror,
He turns to the orchids
On the wallpaper
But they have turned
Themselves inside out
Revealing
Only ugliness
©2012 This work is the property of the author.
Posted on November 25, 2012, in Brian Le Lay, POETRY and tagged Poems, poetry, THE FLEDGLING STAND-UP COMIC FROM NEW JERSEY. Bookmark the permalink. 5 Comments.
Misfits' Miscellany 
A second poem from Brian Le Lay. I think it says so much about human nature, and those who are destined to become poets. I also think it’s a good companion piece to B.Z. Niditch’s IMPROMPTU, published a couple of days ago.
Read Brian’s first MM poem here:
Read IMPROMPTU here:
I can really relate to Brian’s timely poignant poem as I had to same life and death wish as he
has,but needing to have the push, stamina, madness and boldness, living on a plane, carrying your comb,right guard and toothbrush everywhere on the airport or train, always having new materials from writers you don’t respect, wishing down deep to write your own stuff but because of the time elements and restraints cannot. But being a ham at my readings and between acts of my plays I appear (like the mysterious Hitchcock) on the stage hoping my stage act won’t collapse. Thank you,Brian for your memorable poem. As they say in the theater, now break a leg!
Those last two lines are brilliant and brutal–there’s also a certain built-in irony present, because it’s sort of common knowledge that comedians tend to be some of the darkest, most cynical people. This piece illustrates that idea without ever having to come right out and say it.
I think the fledgling comic needs to be reminded to practice “positive self-talk”. Whenever negative thoughts come into your head, override them with with kinder ones. Or at least substitute them with something, like the first thing you look at, whether it be a tree or a picture or even just a sidewalk. Easier said than done. But like many things it gets easier with practice. It may have even saved my life once. This is an excellent poem, though.
I just re-read the poem and my own comment. I guess if you substitute your negative thought with the first thing you see and it turns inside out and ugly, my above suggestions have already been tried and failed. Damn! Well, don’t give up! We keep watching Jay Leno even though sometimes he isn’t that funny, he is loveable and people know that some jokes are just better than others.