Laugh Clown… Laugh

In honor of Robin Williams - 18 Augus 2014

Laugh clown… laugh

Delivered the joke, smiled through torment…

On humor’s wings your malady was bent.

You shared with all your gift of the jape,

For our maudlin hearts a moment’s escape.

A manic laugh ‘pon your face fights,

We raised you up to astonishing heights.

Laughing… laughing… laughing… laugh

From the depth of melancholy in your eyes,

Take flight now before us… ever higher you’ll rise.

Made us laugh ’til we did cry apiece…

Precarious… you teetered ‘pon the precipice.

Played out your suffering ‘pon the stage,

Lights… camera… the pedestal… your cage.

Cry out loud… make jest of your pain

For you ever inspired, gave hope from your fragility, 

Shined so brightly for all your frolicking jocularity, 

Behind the door… in the dark… burned out alone.

Did we ever see if a smile from your eyes shone.

Always easing our lonely malady,

You made the joke from your own tragedy.

The lonely clown… living to entertain

Reveling in your hilarity taken for granted,

Your warmth… your joy… we were enchanted.

Left none to ease your heart so dolorous,

To deliver joy beyond depression’s curse.

To strive with unending adverse poignancy, 

Gave joy… spread smiles… and tears of hilarity.

Dying… dying…dying to make us laugh

Laughing… laughing… laughing countenance

Hiding behind laughter, your sustenance.

Your soul laid bare… laid bare for the joke,

Poured out… poured out… ’til your heart broke.

Loving the clown to death, we cried,

Cruelest cut the day the laughter died.

Laugh clown… laugh

Laughing… laughing… laughing… laugh

Cry out loud… make jest of your pain

The lonely clown… living to entertain

Dying… dying…dying to make us laugh

by D. Denise Dianaty

Author's Note

I wanted this to be an expression of the sense of gratitude and guilt that his passing left…

Reviews

[Confuser]

Putting this in my library. It's quite beautiful. I am tearful now thinking of him again, so sad. But you're description brought his face to me. I loved him so much like many and we never know, do we, what's behind that smile. Thank you for this.

[MomzillaNC]

Thank you. I'm honored you were touched by my homage to him. The saddest thing of all about him is that we DID know. He told us all the time. We laughed anyway.

[Confuser]

He reminded me of someone special in my life as a child. Thank you.

[MomzillaNC]

Thanks. :D

[Confuser]

Y/w...........................................................

[The Rock And Roll Cowbo..]

Many people use humor to hide their pain, This brilliantly expresses that situation nicely

[MomzillaNC]

Thank you.

[The Rock And Roll Cowbo..]

We never know what a person is going through behind the laughter and smile… a very intense read that honors a great person/entertainer.

[MomzillaNC]

Thank you so much.

[The Rock And Roll Cowboy(REBEL WITH A CAUSE)]

You are most welcome.

[Dara]

"Loving the clown to death, we cried,
Cruelest cut the day the laughter died."

This line really brings it home for me. Another wonderful poem and tribute to Robin Williams. He was just 'gone too soon.'

[MomzillaNC]

Thank you very much.

[Briana O'Connor]

This is so eloquent. I just love the creativity you placed within this tribute. Without Robin Williams as the subject this still could be a tremendous tale. You nailed him to a tee with this piece. I can picture it all now that I know what he hid. I can see the darkness spoken of in this piece within his eyes. Thank you for sharing.

[MomzillaNC]

Thank you for your very kind review.

[Sindu]

It is easily ignored, all of it. All of the tears hiding behind the laughter and pain stifled by cloaked happiness. Some use their own mishaps for the joy of other and he was a master at it. A brilliant persona who will be cherised, missed and wished to rest in peace.
A fitting tribute for a gentle soul. An elegiac piece beautifully woven.

[MomzillaNC]

Thank you very much.

[Frieda P]

He died trying to keep everyone else happy, fitting tribute, it's still hard to believe. He is sorely missed.

[MomzillaNC]

Thank you.

[Coyote Poetry]

"Laugh clown… laugh
Laughing… laughing… laughing… laugh
Cry out loud… make jest of your pain
The lonely clown… living to entertain
Dying… dying…dying to make us laugh"
Better to laugh than cry. Cry than swim in disappointment. Above lines stood for me. I like the tone and the emotion of the poem. Thank you for sharing the amazing poetry.
Coyote

[MomzillaNC]

Thank you so much.

[Coyote Poetry]

You are welcome.

[Matching Socks]

It's a sad thing when people don't see the inner turmoil and how stressful it really is to constantly be the clown, the centre of attention, and the reasons why... Which generally are to hide the conflicts within.
Beautifully, beautifully, beautifully expressed MommyZ.

[MomzillaNC]

Thank you so much!

[Matching Socks]

You're welcome. :)

[Einstein Noodle]

i am going to come back and read again .. my first impressions are of the speaker's empathy for the conflict Robin must have been going thru .. i read your note and am not sure from your poem who's guilt you refer to .. i would guess that it is his audience .. for having the light bulb come on too late .. i am an incorrigible minimalist .. so on first pass i think there may be places that are repetitive and might be condensed into more power .. on the other hand i think your poem is very thorough in capturing feelings he might have had and our feelings ... grieving the loss of a beautiful man .. but i have to come back .. i am also a morning person and 4pm is the end of my day .. except for my evening nap ;)
E.

[MomzillaNC]

Thank you for your review. This is a published piece, but thank you for your input. And, the guilt I refer to is my own sense of guilt… to have reveled in the laughter he gave so freely… laughter I always saw never touched his eyes… to have heard all his candid moments when he told us of his struggles… to have known that his great gift of laughter, joy, and entertainment came from that depth of pain. It just made me feel such gratitude to him for that gift, and such guilt to know it was born of pain.

[Einstein Noodle]

it took a while to get back here didn't it!? :) congratulations on all your publications, Mom! i tried to get under your skin in reading this time ...there is guilt to be had as we enjoyed his incredible gift in so many movies, cameo appearances, talk show etc... and as you say .. not see the pain ..i have not been one to follow stars much and to find out about his struggles completely surprised me ... thinking about it tho... especially in his more serious roles that pain was loud and clear .. how could i have missed it ... :(
E.

[MomzillaNC]

Yes, we humans are far too prone to taking the easy view of the entertainment laid out for us. We’d rather forget that such brilliance can come from darkness and tragedy.