When Nobody Showed

When nobody showed up
We opened the curtain anyway
And did our play
As if we were playing
To a sold out arena
Of millions

When the place sat empty
And the storm raged outside
We took pride in our performances
Delivering our lines with fine finesse
Messing up occasionally
But not messing about
Confessing backstage
That perhaps it was a rusty night
But not acknowledging the extra-dusty chairs
Or the lights that seemed brighter
Than usual

When the crowds didn't come
We were louder than ever
Forever banging on the ceiling
With our pronounced vocals
Local shop owners wondering
What all the noise was about

Shouting in the fight scenes
Shouting out to nothing
Seeing if it would bounce back
And track us backstage
Into our dressing rooms
Where we groomed ourselves
For the after-party

And once we were done
We bowed and bowed
And bowed again
Simply for good measure

And the please of seeing the curtain close
Was likely the reason we chose to remain
Staining the stage that was supposed to be clear
Tearing up at the realization that this was it

Our last gasp performance
Our last hurrah
Our last past exercise
In beating back the demise
Of a work not appreciated
But which elated all who saw it

We draw it to a close
And we close in on each other
Not so much hugging
But tugging at each other
To make this moment a bit more real

To feel that we were here
That we did something
Of which to be proud
And we were loud

Weren't we?

Weren't we thunder?
Weren't we better
Than the storm outside

When nobody showed
We were here
We were here
With nobody else

We still weren't any less
Here