Stagefright

I woke up in a cold sweat about
something I forgot to remember to forget.
Pacing the walls of this room
         before a Zoom call
I didn't wanna do is like
         impending doom
but I always do what I gotta do
and if I come off as soft, well,
         that's you.
This made me up as I went along,
on and on, like an earworm song.
I keep trying to be the best I can
while you're trying to turn The Band
         into Steely Dan
but listening to my accomplishments
is like hearing complaints from the unrestrained.
Fingers snapping don't quiet themselves;
another audience I can't seem to help.
I rode a rainbow straight through
the middle of Hell
         when I crashed into you
just to find myself and instead
         I got fooled into
thinking everything was okay.
You wouldn't have it any other way.

          25 lines, "Stagefright"  from "The Last Recluse"