The only way to bring something real, that will connect with your audience and draw them into your material, is to be vulnerable enough to let them see and feel you inhabit the words you sing or speak.
This work takes courage, generosity and practice to let go of your self-consciousness and get out of the way of your message.
Whilst for actors and performers, this kind of connection should be our stock in trade, the practice of bringing our hearts to our relationships and to the words we speak, is something we can all apply.
Truth Bringer
If you are singing a song or telling a story,
no matter how gory or hard,
don’t keep your heart from the words,
avoiding the sorrow,
borrowing cliches,
too timid to follow the verbs
where they lead you,
letting generosity defeat you,
avoiding the heat,
mistreating the beat,
agreeing with the deceit
that rings hollow.
Tomorrow may not be there,
so share yourself here.
Let go of your fear,
endear yourself to your audience who are listening to all of this –
and taking it in,
beginning to breathe along with your feelings –
resonating,
vibrating with the depth of understanding
we can see in your eyes,
hear in your tone –
don’t postpone this connection by phoning it in.
Your moan of pain,
expressing your shame,
and naming the unspoken
brokeness,
will advocate and commiserate –
we need to succeed,
greedy for more that can feed us,
nourish the hunger for truth
that frees us,
so don’t pontificate and exclude us,
or your message will elude us,
bore us,
and confuse us.
We are reeling from shock,
disappointment, despondency,
the weight of dependency,
our tendency to miss each other,
misunderstand and
fall short of the mark,
this stark reality of loneliness entwining with loveliness,
in the clumsiness of life.
As we journey this path
we need our guides to show up.
Show us how,
show us now –
‘cos we flounder forward
ignoring the voice on our shoulder,
colder and more uncertain.
We need to see you
be the real you,
not the version most savoury,
in slavery to fakery,
but vulnerable and brave,
courageous, contagious,
gracious and outrageous.
So put your soul in the words,
voice the unspeakable,
reach the unreachable,
unimpeachable truth will show us the way
to grow confidence,
and dance through this ballet of life.
The only way to bring something real, that will connect with your audience and draw them into your material, is to be vulnerable enough to let them see and feel you inhabit the words you sing or speak.
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