Playing Songs for an Empty Bar and I'm Feeling Down

Usually playing a show is a lot of fun, but occasionally it can be an absolutely soul crushing, terrible experience. Here's a little poem I wrote about one of those times:

Playing songs for an empty bar and I'm feeling down
because it takes at least two to make a sound.

First you need a noise, and then you need an ear.
But when I look beyond the stage there's nobody here.

The bartender might say, "Don't I count as a man?"
as he stands slumped over the bar--magazine in hand.

There's the dutiful girlfriend and we're so happy you're there,
but you've watched us struggle for so long we wonder why you still care.

The last note is played and the set is a wrap.
Thank you so much for the sympathy clap.

Playing songs for an empty bar and I'm feeling down,
because if a band plays for no one, did it really make a sound?

-rd