Circumventing Democracy

A last reprieve

did not come.

The circus dance

a mad parade.

The clowns have come

to scream and shout;

“Kill the Ringmaster!”

 

They ready the Human Cannonball

and the Lion Tamer cracks his whip

to an audience of grinning skulls

under a liquid, absinthe spotlight.

 

Up to the high wire

the grim act goes.

On and on,

in endless,

perpetual pendulum.

 

One acrobat

steps from the platform

and the noose tightens,

snapping their neck

with an audible

“Crack.”

 

One

after another,

after another,

until the trapeze resembles

some macabre child’s mobile.

 

The applause is held,

along with every breath,

until the elephants come out

and the crowd roars again.

 

Send in more clowns.

More and more and more.

Blue wigs and white faces

and red noses and big, floppy shoes.

Some men, some women,

some we will never know.

 

They do tumbling acts,

and throw pies

and their laughter is loud and infectious,

until it is indistinguishable

from their screams of madness.

 

They lose their minds.

An unruly mob.

When their act is over,

you can still hear them

outside the Big Top,

screaming

and pleading

for the show to end.

But the show must go on.

 

Without the Ringmaster,

it all come down to chaos.

The Freak Show,

seems almost sane, in fact.

The Bearded Lady,

The Wolf-Boy,

and the Strong Man,

sit in their trailer,

talking about

how they’re going to pay the bills.

 

The Tax-Man cometh.

Even for the menagerie,

even in the chaos,

you still have to pay “The Man”.

 

It’s a good way

to lose your giraffes these days

and there are so few circuses left;

in fact,

this is the only show in town.

 

So hurry,

hurry,

hurry!

Step right up!

Get your ticket

to the evening show!

Get in line

to be entertained

and mind wiped.

We’ve got such sights to show you.

You’re gonna be

so glad you came.

Welcome to The Circus.

 

HG – 2018