Josephine Preston Peabody

The Play's the Thing

      I never dared to look away
        While they were tuning so,
      For fear the Curtain might go up,
        --And I not see it go!--
    Then all at once, it all went Dark;--
    To make you hold your breath and hark,
        --Oh, hold your breath and hark!

      Excepting where the Curtain was,
        It stayed as black as night;
      And that kept still one minute more,
        All edged across with light:--
    Then Up--and Up--
                            And Oh, so soon,
    It was like all Inside the Moon,
        --Yes, sitting in the Moon!

      And Oh, how Beautiful they were!--
        And could we see them near?--
      And Oh, how brave at everything!
        But it was somehow queer

    To see that smiling way they had:
    They smiled so much, but not all glad;
      --No, not so always glad.

      I wish we couldn't go away;
        I wish it would begin
      All over, now, and never end;
        I wish we were Locked In!
    Oh, can't we see it all again?
    To-morrow!--Sunday! Monday? When?
          --Ah, when, when?