| YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE they never listen to me. it is because my voice is too small and ordinary it can easily be ignored it is because everyone else's voice is bigger making it seem what they say is more important than what i say. i will show them. i will whisper to the bathroom mirror i will mutter under bedsheets i will practice on lonely walks to school and when i grow up they will await my voice because it will be the biggest and everything i say will sound like it could end the universe and- like it or not -they will listen NOW THEY ALL LISTEN. THEY SIT PRETENDING TO BE PREOCCUPIED WITH A NOVEL OR A FREIND OR A RAPE COUNSELING HOTLINE BUT THEY ALL BOB UP AND DOWN LIKE PUPPETS PACKED TOGETHER LIKE AN AUDIENCE IN MY OPERA HOUSE WAITING WITH SHARED TENSION FOR ME TO SPEAK: "CHICAGO...IS NEXT. DOORS OPEN ON THE RIGHT AT...CHICAGO." AND THEY ALL STAND UP BECAUSE THEY CAN'T IGNORE ME NOW. |