Circus Clown

Suddenly from somewhere A street urchin- An untamed bird of the wider sky Dropped down Into the circus tent Before him was unfurled Scenes eerie….awesome! ! Roaring lions and tigers, Gibbering baboons, caravans of camels, Animal tamers and acrobats, Artists balancing on poles Swinging from bars to trapeziums Pliant girls with plastic limbs And pouting breasts, Walking on tight ropes A queer world Peopled with beasts and men! His face, painted white and red In motley dress, he was arrayed And a tall tapering cap, placed On his forcibly tonsured head He hardly knew what it all meant. He heard the bells ringing And it was time for the show He was told He would henceforth be a clown And should make people laugh A thousand sunsets passed him by He forgot the familiar alleys of the streets Lost sight of the endless pathways of the sky In a world - So populous- so empty, He buried him In the hidden caverns of himself Nursing a hundred bruises Inflicted by Time's sharp razors Often he was reminded- "You should make others laugh" He did make people laugh While a fountain of tears lay frozen In the slivers of his broken heart! !