She wears a tattoo that reads “live fast”
but she sits so still,
quietly attentive
to each and every performer
presenting before her.

She seems to like them all
and I hope to catch her mascara’d eye
when it’s my turn to hit the stage
to see if she could find a way
to live fast with me
if only for some days.

When I find my way to the spotlight
I realize immediately
that I’ve lost her attention
or maybe her phone had something
really important to share
that she just had to learn
just at the moment
that I arrived.

Even when she does deign to look up at me
it is only fleeting
and, nervous,
I look upon myself from a distance
and realize that despite my wish to live fast with her
I am instead slowly dying alone.

The torture eventually ends
and I escape the stage
and others replace me
gaining greater appreciation than I.
The girl with the slutty tattoo
returns to her vivacious dedication
and I slink off
reminding myself
that Jews are forbidden to get tattoos
so probably
we are also unable to get with girls
who have them.