RACHEL'S FINAL MHS CURTAIN

AS TONIGHT THE CURTAIN CLOSES,
AND STAGE LIGHTS DIM,
AS WILL THE LOUD APPLAUSE;
AS SONG AND DANCE
AND LOVE AND LAUGHTER’S PEALS
COME TO AN END,
THERE WILL ECHO STILL
IN DARKENED BALCONY AND HALL
THE SPOT LIGHT GLIMMERING SO BRIGHT
IN MEMORY’S EYES.

IN A SPRING NOT SO LONG AGO
THE CURTAIN OPENED,
ON A DISTANT LAND
AND GETTING TO KNOW A LITTLE SISTER ACTRESS,
COSTUMED IN SATIN
WITH A HOPE OF FUTURE LIGHTS
AND ROLES AND SONGS
ON THOSE VENERABLE SCHOOL BOARDS.

ONE BY ONE EIGHT CURTAINS ROSE
UPON THAT STAGE,
EACH FILLED WITH MUSIC, DANCE AND WONDER
AS A BUDDING ACTOR GREW BEFORE OUR EYES.
SHE BLOSSOMED OVER SEVEN SINGING YEARS
BRINGING SMILES AND TEARS
AND MESMERIZING SONGS
TO THRONGS WHO STOOD
AND CLAPPED AT BOWING CURTAIN CALLS.

FROM SIMPLE KIDS ENSEMBLE
TO TECHNICOLOR CHOIR
SHE PLAYED EACH PART AND PRACTICED NIGHT AND DAY.
THEN THE SOUND OF MUSIC OPENED
AND INTO THE WOODS SHE SKIPPED
THEN THE LITTLE CHORUS GIRL
FILLED A THOROUGHLY WONDROUS ROLE.
THE CURTAIN OPENED TO
HAIR BOBBED, SHOES TAPPED AND STUNNING FLAPPER GOWNS
AND TO A LEADING LADY
WHO WOWED THE HALL
AS NONE HAVE DONE BEFORE.

AGAIN THE CURTAIN OPENED
IN THE COOL OF AUTUMN NIGHTS
AS SHE STEPPED OUT ONCE MORE
AND STOLE THE SHOW
AND MADE US SMILE AND LAUGH.

NOW COMES THE FINAL CURTAIN -
A ROLE QUITE FILLED WITH FUN
AND LACED WITH HORROR
UPON THE STAGE WHERE SHE HAS DANCED
AND KISSED AND SUNG
AND PROUDLY BOWED
FOR HALF A LIFETIME.
TONIGHT IS SUNG A SWEET FINALE
TO A RUN MORE FULL AND BRIGHT AND LONG
THAN MAY EVER ON THAT STAGE BE SEEN AGAIN.
AMID ACCOLADING HUGS AND FLOWER BOUQUETS
THE VELVET CURTAIN CLOSES
WITH A FINAL BOW AND OVERTURES OF AWE
FOR OH SO MANY ENTERTAINING NIGHTS
AND LIGHTS AND NE’R FORGOTTEN SONGS
THAT FILLED THE HALL AND
FILLED OUR HEARTS SO FULL.