This mortal coil
as feeds the shuffling off
to both Hamlet and Ophelia,
much to the cheering audiences delight,
the meagre, the abundant,
the played, placated pacified
happy at the exit,
when the lights go up again
(turns up as)
Sheer reality
of the thousand natural snakes uncoiled,
that flesh brings hairs to at seeing
The clean cold lighted spaces
you call body homes
The gravy's mopped up,
there's nothing more to it
(but the grave expectations)
Give us the billy, Willy, when you are through with Shakespeare ad lib
Note.
'Give us the billy' is an Irish way of saying 'Give us the nod'.