Icarus stayed grounded
When the Fall Play was announced.

In fact,
I didn't care.
I was over it.
I was sick of auditioning only to be rejected.
Icarus wouldn't get airborne.

Yet, I signed my name on the form.
And I didn't die.

I wasn't going to go through with it.
I wasn't going to show up.
Icarus had downed,
I was sure.

Monologue memorized day of,
I couldn't find the energy to put myself
Through the nerves,
The waiting,
The misery,
The envy.

Meena made me try.
So I went in.
I said my monologue.
I didn't die.

I wasn't checking for a callback list.
I didn't care.
I wouldn't get hopes up
just to watch Icarus fall.

Meena scorns my pessimism.
I call it realism.
Or rather, practicality.
The higher your hopes fly,
The farther they have to fall.

And Icarus has fallen too many times.
His wings are too broken
To soar this time.
He only hovers.

Mia texted.
"Congrats on your callback!"

Disbelief.
I'd heard that before.

Still, Icarus drifts higher.
My name is on that list.

Icarus drifts higher.
Meena calls to congratulate me.
This is real.

Icarus drifts higher.
Addie texts a congratulations.

Icarus drifts higher.

"But wait!" says the sun
To my smiling Icarus,
"You still didn't get a part."

Icarus falters.

"Callbacks don't mean a thing,"
The Sun reminds.
"Addie got five callbacks before she was cast.
You don't have five shows left."

Icarus's wings shake.

"It was probably pity,"
The Sun titters.
"He's giving you something,
But he'll never cast you."

Icarus looks up,
wide eyed,
Pleading with the Sun
To have mercy
On his fragile wings.

"You should have stayed on the ground."

Icarus plummets.