Sunday, March 4, 2012

Fond Memories of Outcasts and Entertainers


Smoke-clouds billow and
I’m left to remember when,
back as a boy, how
magical it would feel, standing
there, popcorn in hand, amongst
likeminded awestruck souls,
watching, without a blink
of blurred focus, as the
death defying men and
women, dressed in sequins and silk,
dance the strings, jump the
ledge, trust the swinging
friend, hanging there
on loops, way up the
tented sky—and there were
horses, lions, and people
who look similar to how I’ve
felt inside. 

There was so many more,
so many enchanting times, every
year, we’d go, as a family
to the greatest show—and
now, adulthood has slapped
me—the circus has since
left town, a while now, yet
it chose today to smoke today
it picked now, to ascend away—
and I remember how smiles
brought smiles and laughter caused
laughter—filling the gaps between
the gasps procured by fire eaters,
feats of strength and cannons—I remember
how it was then—but I also remember
how the clowns, painted as they were,
always made me feel a little bit sad
inside.   

4 comments:

  1. nice...cool memories of the circus...took my boys a year ago and it has sadly lost much of its magic...sad clowns too...got that...you know i was a traveling clown once....

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  2. "people
    who look similar to how I’ve
    felt inside."

    That's excellent, Fred.

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  3. Great memories of the circus, I have never even scene one in real life, but you sure bring it to life. Those poor clowns would make anyone sad, just like at all that paint and their rubber nose, don't you just want to step on their big old toes..haha

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  4. the lyrical end of the first stanza is crafted so well. it sprinkles a little magic in the reader's eye and adds to the ambiance. that sadness inside that kids can't define is a meticulous observation, and re-creation as you did it here. for some it's the animals that kids feel sad about and can't articulate. kids often have a strong feeling something is not right with the world, even before they can put their finger closer to what it might be. a circus is supposed to be 100 percent fun, like the malls and so much in our culture. the dark side is supposed to be ignored. this was a fantastic circus scene with a real-life gray liner.

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