An Empty Clown Car

the big top hides its shame in a disfigured clown

An Empty Clown Car

 

The multicolored tomfoolery is the circus’s identity,

But the condition is widely exaggerated, as anyone can see.

The tone is hushed as the tightrope walkers explore the airborne notion

But explodes in cheers as the walkers complete, causing more commotion.

 

A tiny car that appears so necessary reveals what it contains,

Ten clowns as they emerge in a squeeze of pre-arthritic pains.

They hesitate to intrude upon the lions, who appear annoyed,

“No heads in lion’s mouth today,” explained my Uncle Floyd.

 

The trapeze artists fly separate from the platforms they’ve attached,

They swing and fly and capture one another with each stupefying catch.

Then a huge elephant arouses cheers as he rides a tiny bike,

Having senses sharpened by cotton candy, fearing what it’s like.

 

The barker (con man) chokes on his next dogmatic diatribe,

His tawdry vest with spills from when he did, indeed, imbibe.

His top hat now is not completely boxed in dirt from Greystone,

And his torn-open life just agonized, annoyed to be left alone.

 

dan © 2015

Reviews

[jacob erin-cilberto]

we are all performers in a way, and many of us clowns who hide our frowns and tears with smiles painted onto our demeanor.
this reminds me in its sadness of bobby goldsboro's song...."see the funny little clown, see him laughing as he walks by...no one knows he's crying, no one knows he's dying...on the inside, cause he's laughing on the outside, no one knows, no one knows."

[dan]

Jacob, That's what I had in mind, the knowledge that the greasepaint can project a façade of joy while obscuring the sadness within. The verse of the barker, the humanized sideshow avatar, is meant to bring that thought to the fore, illuminate what's behind the false front. Thanks for your review of the piece. take care...dan

[ANTO]

Superb tragi-comedy here Dan. This circus is a microcosm of the world at large with its high flyers and its con men and its audience and the risks of putting our heads in lions mouths everyday - you nailed it mate!
:))

[dan]

This goes back to a little while back someone wrote a poem here at WC that was about wearing masks in life and thought immediately of a carnival...and a corndog. thanks for read/review sir! take care...dan

[ANTO]

Thank Dan - I love hearing about the spark that lit the flame. Its like our own wee version of MTV's behind the Music - which was magic television. In fact it would be great if writers left stories about the inspiration for their writes in the Authors Notes. Some writers, like you and Richard to name but two, do take the time to explain which in itself can be a great source of inspiration. Thank you Dan!

[Roshan Nair]

A distinct take on the life and turns a performers existence in a circus. Great write dan, I love how you could see through the facade of colors , amusement and humor these characters bring into the days of others, showing us glimpses of their reality and how that is truly colored.
Great write again my friend :)

[dan]

Roshan, My idea was that if you pull back the curtains, breach the façade of joy...one will find common human frailty behind the greasepaint masks. Which, in turn, suggests a type of metaphor for daily life. Thanks for your read and review. take care...dan

[Jerome F Knox III pseud..]

wow...this was a very unique poem; the rather long stanzas with then end rhymes was remarkable, some of the usual end rhymes showed great skill and the observations that you make are simply brilliant...I might have to try this elongated end rhyme Dan style.....

[dan]

Rico, This kind of writing seems to come naturally; some would call it a 'conversational style.' It's a way of tying disparate thoughts together in a common bond. Thank you for your nice review. take care...dan

[Jerome F Knox III pseudonym Nefarious J. Dorsey]

thanks for the tidbit of information I am going to have to research that more which included more of your work.

[dan]

Rico, Please know that my characterization of the 'conversational style' are the label I have placed on it, don't expect any true definition of that style (if there even IS one) to dovetail with my own opinion. Thank you. dan

[Jerome F Knox III pseudonym Nefarious J. Dorsey]

OK... Sounds like you need a patent...

[dan]

I actually googled the term conversational poetry and it is nothing like the style you speak of. So I don't know that it has any name, especially that one. I'm just glad you, and others, seem to like it. thanks, Rico...dan

[Jerome F Knox III pseudonym Nefarious J. Dorsey]

The Dan Style of poetry is a style that uses elongated phrases and very intricate end rhymes that tells a story in essence it is called the elongated rhythmic style...

[dan]

I can name that tune in four notes. 8^) dan

[Jerome F Knox III pseudonym Nefarious J. Dorsey]

Now that's funny

[dan]

every once in a while even a blind squirrel finds a nut