I’m disinclined to watch performance live.
For years I’ve understood the cause to be
strong empathy: I want the act to thrive –
I wince at failure’s possibility.
(Then too, I never drew from any crowd
the energy I want. I suffer loud
invasions in a massive theater line,
a little anxious and about to whine.)

Perhaps I ought to look another way:
assume that the performers can admit
to imperfection when appropriate
at least as well as I do, when I play
my expertise in error. It’s in me
to trust they have their own resiliency.