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In this life, we all play our parts:
Hamlets, Othellos, Napoleons at heart...
Our conscience is the audience, watching the show,
While power and passion are but mirages we know.
We change the scenery, we renovate with care,
Yet no one calls us for an encore there.
Life has it all: the costumes, makeup, and break,
And even a "backstage" exist.
Other "actor-people" long to peek behind the scenes,
But those who live there are unmoved by what it means.
Our director is God—or Fate, by any name,
Who casts the performance and titles the game.
For every spectacle, a final act is kept,
The curtain falls—a coffin lid, while we are swept.
A standing ovation? In life, an obituary’s cold trace.
Actors are often forgotten, leaving no place,
Lost in the grayness where the crowd’s shadows fly,
But some are remembered.
And you—how do you play your life?
Elena Fainshtein is a behavioral economics researcher and mental health professional based in Israel. An MBA and Social Sciences graduate, she explores the human psyche and societal structures through poetry and fiction. Her multilingual work delves into existential loneliness and the cyclical nature of life, bridging scientific inquiry with lyrical storytelling.
https://fainshtein.co.il
https://www.facebook.com/elena.fainshtein