Byline

it's there, in stark black and white
it shimmers, though only i can see
the applause is starting, deafening,
and nobody hears but me
fame, it is, or infamy
everything i want to be
stares up from the page at me -
my very first byline
call it hubris, call it joy
but everyone should read
this masterpiece of written thought
put down in print by me
what's the story? doesn't matter;
the end result's happy
for looking at my byline makes
the world brighter to me.