Clown At the Abyss Premiere Contest Winner

“Nobody likes a clown at midnight.”       Stephen King


CLOWN AT THE ABYSS


Darkroom abscessed 
with neon blush and black-blood —
sunken eyes look surprised
to find oneself in a dank dungeon.
Fecal stench, not humorous,
screams on each bold painted-on face.

“Are we dead?”

“When did I die?”

“I didn’t want to take along this honking nose! It never quits!”

“These humongous shoes, like flippers, so cold they grip!”

The clowns, their smiles and frowns,
continue to gripe in the big tent abyss.
The epic fail of their lives an applause
from the demons who have them in grip.

Like fools, they suppose, they can feel their way out.
They march in one straight line with clanging chains,
chortling, “Heigh Ho! Heigh Ho! It’s off to work I go!”*

You see, they can’t help being funny - never could.
So on they march clinging to claustrophobic walls.
Yet they, one by one, begin to notice no floor exists.

Squalid birds, their chains rattle and roll,
with cheap jokes that never cease.

“Take my wife…please.”

Rings through the air. The demons cackle and boo
their despair, occasionally deflating the roof of the tent
on their heads - it sticks to their gooey faces, causing
them to run out of hot air, go limp, confine their space

even more - no audience to exploit. When the roof rises
each one finds water caterwauled at their faces, then
strapped to a chair as sufferable makeup - acidophil -
leaks behind their eyes, into their pores, maliciously.

Clown at the abyss digs his nails into the soil, climbing
a mountain of ill will, always failing...falling, and then
the jokes hammer again...over and over, head over heels.

...head over heels,
                                      with no end…


2/27/2020
Clown at the Abyss Poetry Contest
Sponsor: Kai Michael Neumann 

*Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Copyright © | Year Posted 2020



Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.

Please Login to post a comment

Date: 5/18/2020 1:50:00 PM
Hello Kim, clowns are not funny at night. Congrats on the win. Enjoy your day my friend.
Login to Reply
De Beaulieu Avatar
Darlene De Beaulieu
Date: 5/19/2020 1:42:00 PM
Hello Kim, oh it must have been an odd feeling sleeping in your daughter's room with the clown hanging from the ceiling. Enjoy your day my friend.
Rodrigues Avatar
Kim Rodrigues
Date: 5/18/2020 3:27:00 PM
Surely they’re not...lol! Slept in my daughter’s room one time. She had a clown hanging from the ceiling!
Date: 3/25/2020 3:49:00 AM
Wow! Congrats. Thanks for sharing this truth (...always failing...falling, and then... with no end…) in your awesome poetic style. God bless you.
Login to Reply
Rodrigues Avatar
Kim Rodrigues
Date: 3/25/2020 6:43:00 AM
Thank you, sweet one!
Date: 3/24/2020 9:05:00 PM
This is epic Kim, well deserved honors
Login to Reply
Rodrigues Avatar
Kim Rodrigues
Date: 3/25/2020 6:43:00 AM
Thank you so much, Craig!
Date: 3/24/2020 6:59:00 PM
wow such a creative approach Kim no wonder you nailed the trophy win, many congrats:-) hugs jan xx
Login to Reply
Rodrigues Avatar
Kim Rodrigues
Date: 3/24/2020 8:53:00 PM
Thank you so much, my friend!
Date: 3/24/2020 5:54:00 PM
A masterpiece indeed Kimmy...very well executed dear friend...Congrats!! on First! place...stay safe and hibernate...The Wingster...^WW^ :o)
Login to Reply
Rodrigues Avatar
Kim Rodrigues
Date: 3/24/2020 8:53:00 PM
Thank you WW! You be safe too! Stay put!
Date: 3/24/2020 1:38:00 PM
Wow, clown hell. You went deep with this one, Kim and were rewarded with a well-deserved #1 podium win. Enjoyed the read and the creative approach you took, as well as all the clown attributes. Congrats!
Login to Reply
Rodrigues Avatar
Kim Rodrigues
Date: 3/24/2020 5:23:00 PM
Thank you, John!
Date: 3/24/2020 1:28:00 PM
Congratulations on your masterpiece.
Login to Reply
Rodrigues Avatar
Kim Rodrigues
Date: 3/24/2020 5:23:00 PM
Thanks so much, Kai!
Date: 3/24/2020 1:06:00 PM
- Woow, Kim .... really deserved your first place :) - Congratulations so much :) - hugs // Anne-Lise :)
Login to Reply
Rodrigues Avatar
Kim Rodrigues
Date: 3/24/2020 5:23:00 PM
Thank you, my friend!
Date: 3/24/2020 9:59:00 AM
Wow! Vivid descriptions and lots of drama and suspense. I can see why this is #1!
Login to Reply
Rodrigues Avatar
Kim Rodrigues
Date: 3/24/2020 5:24:00 PM
Thank you so much, Juliet!
Date: 2/29/2020 9:13:00 AM
An Excellent write, I feel sorry for clowns ( wrote a poem a year or two back) -they just have to act like a joker, a happy pereson, even though the painted tears on their face are wipeed off by the real tears that flow! A definite win and a fav for me. Blessings, Jennifer.
Login to Reply
Rodrigues Avatar
Kim Rodrigues
Date: 2/29/2020 9:15:00 AM
Is it posted? If so, what is the title? Hugs...Kim
Date: 2/29/2020 1:01:00 AM
This one has to be the top dog winner of this contest.
Login to Reply
Rodrigues Avatar
Kim Rodrigues
Date: 2/29/2020 9:15:00 AM
Woot woot! We will see. Love ya, my friend!
Date: 2/28/2020 9:34:00 PM
Kim, wow, your poem is amazing for the contest, this must be a winner _Constance
Login to Reply
Rodrigues Avatar
Kim Rodrigues
Date: 2/28/2020 10:31:00 PM
Thanks so much, constance! :)
Date: 2/27/2020 11:20:00 AM
This is exceptionally creative and a great pleasure to read my friend. You have scored a hit wit this insightful dark piece. Wonderful ending as well.. A fav.... Good luck in the contest..
Login to Reply
Rodrigues Avatar
Kim Rodrigues
Date: 2/27/2020 6:49:00 PM
Thank you so much, Robert! :)
Date: 2/27/2020 10:59:00 AM
Wow, this was really good Kim. So creative and out there. It scared me. Best wishes in the contest. Love the Rodney Dangerfield nod. : )
Login to Reply
Rodrigues Avatar
Kim Rodrigues
Date: 2/27/2020 11:07:00 AM
Thanks! Phew...these take a lot out of you. I could not write a novel with so much dark. May God bless you with much love and light :)
Get a Premium Membership
Get more exposure for your poetry and more features with a Premium Membership.
Book: Reflection on the Important Things

Member Area

My Admin
Profile and Settings
Edit My Poems
Edit My Quotes
Edit My Short Stories
Edit My Articles
My Comments Inboxes
My Comments Outboxes
Soup Mail
Poetry Contests
Contest Results/Status
Followers
Poems of Poets I Follow
Friend Builder

Soup Social

Poetry Forum
New/Upcoming Features
The Wall
Soup Facebook Page
Who is Online
Link to Us

Member Poems

Poems - Top 100 New
Poems - Top 100 All-Time
Poems - Best
Poems - by Topic
Poems - New (All)
Poems - New (PM)
Poems - New by Poet
Poems - Read
Poems - Unread

Member Poets

Poets - Best New
Poets - New
Poets - Top 100 Most Poems
Poets - Top 100 Most Poems Recent
Poets - Top 100 Community
Poets - Top 100 Contest

Famous Poems

Famous Poems - African American
Famous Poems - Best
Famous Poems - Classical
Famous Poems - English
Famous Poems - Haiku
Famous Poems - Love
Famous Poems - Short
Famous Poems - Top 100

Famous Poets

Famous Poets - Living
Famous Poets - Most Popular
Famous Poets - Top 100
Famous Poets - Best
Famous Poets - Women
Famous Poets - African American
Famous Poets - Beat
Famous Poets - Cinquain
Famous Poets - Classical
Famous Poets - English
Famous Poets - Haiku
Famous Poets - Hindi
Famous Poets - Jewish
Famous Poets - Love
Famous Poets - Metaphysical
Famous Poets - Modern
Famous Poets - Punjabi
Famous Poets - Romantic
Famous Poets - Spanish
Famous Poets - Suicidal
Famous Poets - Urdu
Famous Poets - War

Poetry Resources

Anagrams
Bible
Book Store
Character Counter
Cliché Finder
Poetry Clichés
Common Words
Copyright Information
Grammar
Grammar Checker
Homonym
Homophones
How to Write a Poem
Lyrics
Love Poem Generator
New Poetic Forms
Plagiarism Checker
Poetics
Poetry Art
Publishing
Random Word Generator
Spell Checker
Store
What is Good Poetry?
Word Counter