Wrestlers and the Show

WRESTLERS AND THE SHOW

Bad guy like an ill wind 
strides into the room,
face fixed in an expression that is grim.
Hands held high for accolades,
glaring at the fans,
making sure every eye is fixed on him.

He enters the ring defiantly, 
crosses over to the ropes,
climbs up and flexes his body for all to see.
Waves for the fans to shut up, 
all the louder for them to boo,
as he tries to shout them down aggressively.

He's the heel you know, he's arrogant,
he hates the fans and it shows
he wonders why he's stuck in this one-horse town.
He personifies the meaning of bad, 
and he's a little jazzed and a little mad
and it's for sure he won't be settling down, even with the girl he found.

Hit the good guy's music,
like the lightning before a storm
the beat announces he's on his way and primed.
While his opponent's talking trash,
he enters the arena in a flash
shakes hands and kisses babies that he finds

He climbs into the ring
as the heelman ducks for cover
to the roar of crowd applause and high approval
shouts a catch phrase to the wind,
winks at grandma and shouts it again
and poses for the photographers' perusal.

Locked up when the bell rings
they struggle for advantage
they push and shove, neither wanting to give in to the other
hip toss and a supplex,
body slam and a superkick
and the heelman sends the baby home to mother

Silence in the arena,
the crowd have all gone home
no one left inside but four ring slingers
they're tearing down the ring
because that is their thing
and the PA's playing a song by a country singer.

Wrestling is a nomad's life,
a hundred little towns
hot dogs with no onions and warm sodas
nobody around to teach
a young wrestler just how far to reach
a truckload of Darth Vaders but no Yodas

The lights off now,
the wrestlers are all gone
one small boy lies sleeping and he's dreaming
about the romance of the road,
and how wrestling is the mother lode
and deep within his heart he's on the top rope flyin'

So hearken ye performers,
go out and do your job
no matter how tired, bored, lonely or aching
you're the stuff of dreams
to little kids, grandpas and teens
go out and shine because it's memories your making.

And when it's all said and done,
it won't be whether you lost or won
but how you played the game that makes you a winner
be the best that you can be
and let your light shine for all to see
be a hero whether you're a saint or sinner.