The Clown With No Name

A sad poem from 1976.

There he stood with his painted face;
All focused on the bright colours that he wore.
No one saw his eyes (they were out of place),
Why should they? That's not what they had paid to see.
It was his jolliness that they chose to embrace.

His eyes, though, he could not over paint.
He could only shade around them in order to deceive ~
Nor gloss over them to conceal that troubled taint...
Eyes which contrasted 'gainst a huge red smiling mouth ~
Sad eyes... happy jocose smile... how quaint!

Children laugh, they think he's hilarious fun
(And so he is when you view him from their aspect).
Grown-ups laugh too, when all is said and done;
They won't know what puzzles are under his hat...
'notalot' ~ if you'll pardon the pun.

I'm not funny, you see, such as is he;
He can recount a million gags by heart,
Ask anyone! if you don't agree ~ with me.
Where he stores them is anyone's guess ~
Maybe neath under the spreading chestnut tree?

He has no folks; he has no wife;
He doesn't even have a name of his own.
He has no fulfilment, only strife,
All that he possesses is his own reflection.
(He has no family.. has no wife.... he has no children.. has no life!).



Today it rained (he's not to blame)
Teemed cats and dogs, so no one came.
He couldn't laugh ~ he tried and tried...
So he, the clown, just cried and cried.


              

Reviews

[Chris Shaw]

Oh yes, this is a sad one. It seems that often the people who have the talent and ability to make us laugh are often living a sad life themselves. I think. particularly of Tony Hancock. What a great comedian he was. Another well written poem from your talented pen Alan. I enjoyed the rhyme scheme. 1976 is a long time go :)

Chris

[Alan S Jeeves]

Yes Chris, this is a quite old poem I wrote when I was 25 and wild as the wind. Many have said how true this is, over the years. I had my first poem, 'A Kingfisher Day' published in 1973 therefore 'clown was in the early 'experimental' days. I have since tried all sorts of rhyming schemes.
Tony Hancock was, indeed, a sad case. Possibly his humour was ahead of its time ('The Blood Donor' being a favourite of mine).
I will try to post something a little more cheerful next time.
Kind regards, Alan