Welcome to the Carnival
The carnival acts…
A charlatan I see visions with enmity
so deceitful & translucent they vine
towards me grasping my throat;
till I utter their words of fear & loathing
warping my sense; I sense failure & defeat
so I hear the visions lie- I disagree
but my voice is unheard;
And the client it seems readily believes
so eager he grasps invisible straws;
much alike telling a deaf man words of the wise
is telling this blind man his future is bright
twisted & formed words warped in a way
their worth fades as does my vision;
leaving them penny a piece…
& sold as uncompassionate
words from mechanical writers;
and if there is a meaning it’s by chance…
or the ignorance of a happy man
looking deep into shallow waters.
An odd skip in his step, a foolish smile…
graces his face a picture of peace & content
he moves ahead to the next tent, the next act
Showered in happiness he tries not to laugh
serenading the crowd joy & slapping his sticks
to create a buzz of slapstick comedy…
he launches his companion;
And his companion soars, fly’s like a bird
but crashes into the safety net like a fly;
crushed…the crowd loves him from afar;
but up-close he seems alone
in a pantomime of distrust & destruction
with the odd disruption of claps;
clapped at for risking his life, is he not a hero?
Inching nearer to death with every leap…
yet they see no hero…Just a gymnast
& a clown…. Squirting tears from flowers…
The crowd moves ignorant to the plight
no profit means no meals & no meals
mean the clown is left behind…
No one cares for a clown…
when they have the dancers
and so move the men
in the tent of taboo….
She seems unperturbed, glowing & radiant
her beauty unscathed- then why is it she
seems so adamant at stripping me
as well as she strips herself…
only difference is she sells her soul
stripping her self-respect…
And I sell my soul stripping away
in debt; her eyes are shrouded
guarding the window to the soul;
the last shard of decency she has
is in denial; it can’t fathom
her situation; where she is taken
alone & taken with many;
A dancer slash meat; a product
of society….gratifying the men
satisfying their curiosity…she moves.
And so ends their day...
A family event folks,
it’s the era of depression
so come along & laugh
learn the future & share
your lonely nights….
The Carnival is in town!
