Best Barkers Poems
The wind did stir the thought in kind wanting - for if she knew my soul, just a spark
of it, I would be a rich man...
So long this ribbon of love that flows over the rocks of age and distant torment...
The gate keepers sit alone watching, waiting for the violators who dare not call
mundane theirs...
It is those shackles which bind misguided dreams that which make fertile ground for
the barkers at the door, for what else does one need to grey the vision and dull
delight?
You carry the scent of the well-traveled said the withered old man - I too know your
pain, that which comes from never knowing home - those of us who seek blindly
that which the world cannot give - home is not a place but a thought in time and
nothing more than a stop to rest your ambition...
Cry only for only those who cannot hear you, for it is selfish to do otherwise and
seek home in the gentle embraces of those that know you...
Be kind to those who would bite you, for in doing so it will bring light to a dark path...
AND
Always rejoice in life - it pisses them off and helps them to see the tragic flaw of
their diluted beliefs...
Categories:
barkers, adventure, faith, happiness, inspirational,
Form:
Dramatic Monologue
. *a*
. * *true*
. to be happiness
. filled to *** blithe
. brim * float* /
. / in the blue /
. / **sky* /
. / / / rise
. / / / balloon
. / / rise
. / / /
. / /
. /
. /
. ****** /
. *************** /
blot out, oh blot out the sun in the sky
fill it with rainbow, carnival prize..... ***
weep not, oh weep not, my child LOOK HIGH... in the*
for all that is goodness does come from the sky..... the arms of
*a warm
wind
whose puffed out cheeks give babies grins /
barkers balloons loose from the fiesta /
flying to? Flying toward?? /
it's anyones guess /
********
**********
.
Contest: Happiness is a Balloon
Poet: D. Guzzi
7/18/11
Categories:
barkers, childhoodflying,
Form:
Verse
Written: July 30, 2025, for contest Sponsored by: Robert James Liguori
************
The carnival dazzles—
mirific mosaics of midway magic
woven with whimsical calls from barkers
who strut boldly on boards
slick with popcorn oil and neon promises.
I, the aficionado of the absurd,
immerse myself in spectacle masquerading as
celebration,
a Falstaffian extravaganza,
a sockdolager of strobe-lit sensation,
where circus rages as horology gone amok—
clockwork chaos camouflaged as joy.
Here, even dyspnea dances:
lungs tight from laughter,
feet blistered on the boards
where the locals jive
to tunes sung in xenoglossia tones—
languages lost or learned
in the jamboree of jest.
We picnic beneath paper moons
and eat Easter-colored candy
as if Lent were long forgotten—
in this nefarious fair,
Time adumbrates indulgence.
I stumble past scantling booths
where prizes lean akin to broken teeth
and prayers cast unanswered
in the apiary buzz of sugar-rushed view.
One iconoclast offers nepenthe in a cup
with carbonation and broken fortunes—
And in that moment,
an epiphany unfolds as a palimpsest,
laughter scrawled over ancient pain,
glee grafted onto grief.
There is no paucity of pain here,
only its parody—
a meritorious mimicry
for those who can bear the weight
and yet select the lighter path.
A temporary guest of the night,
I own nothing,
but borrow every flicker of joy—
every flick of flame from the festival's fire,
every tune from the gala laughter.
Even illeism fades in festal light,
where I am not the observer,
but the observed,
not just the poet,
but the poem itself,
drawn toward this lodestone of longing.
And at last, beneath Ferris wheel stars,
I whisper into the abyss—
a cognate cry to the cosmos
_The feast is fleeting
but oh, how glorious
the festival finished?
Categories:
barkers, appreciation, childhood,
Form:
Free verse
Wally Brummell, fed em on Crow, ...
johnsondon2•261 videos
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0BmZZhbO-U
444 views
Uploaded on Oct 3, 2008
Wally some call him Zip (fed em black duck) (crow actually)Kakadu song man of Gulf town Karumba Australia
Stay alive in 55 and 56 said the roadside sign..
As the Ford Mercury whizzed by on local Brisbane time...
A flat head v8 jumped into a muffled roar...
And Bronco Don gave it its head full bloody bore..
Bill Brummell was a waiting aunty Nell was coming by..
And of course she'd bring the Johnsons little grubs like Mark and I...
So we lurched and wobbled cross country to the coast...
And aunty Grace was awaiting for sure shed cooked a roast..
So I followed cousin Wally about the Cleveland farm..
And watched him eat a melon from the inside without harm
Cut a hole put his head in, call him melon head?..
Just like a giant white ant this I say god strike me dead?..
Down in the valley my love is so low...
Sang old Slim Whitman on the valve radio..
old Don bought an inter truck a droving we would go..
to the Moonie floods back more than 50 years or so...
then Zip some call him Walter, he got a grand idea...
went to shoot some wild duck with a threeoh and some beer.... .303cal
so he lined up a wood duck but a crow got in the way..
so he reefed and pulled the trigger, just tough duck is all he'd say...
yes these ducks had big black feathers when talking they said ark...(not like them squeaky yank crows)
Wally plucked and filled the stew pot says its duck or just a lark..
Drunken ring barkers were hungry scoffed the lot in one quick feed...
And they were farting feathers till the crowing parts were freed...
Don Johnson...
Categories:
barkers, adventure,
Form:
Ballad
With apologies to Albert Camus
I once was a circus strongman,
Sovereign of midway spectacles.
I wore a leopard-skin loincloth
And a lion-claw necklace.
My club was seasoned hardwood.
I proudly dragged my knuckles
Through the sawdust and straw.
I wrestled the orangutan
And boxed the kangaroo.
I tore phone books in half
With my teeth.
I became a star promotion
With elevation from sideshow freak
To a main ring attraction.
My charisma was marketed
By carnival barkers and snake oil shills.
My future in show biz seemed bright.
My manner was summertime light,
And then came the fall.
Categories:
barkers, allegory, life,
Form:
Burlesque
The posters said tomorrow
At eleven on the dot
The Mishkin Brothers Circus
Would be here ....on this spot
There would be no carnival or midway
Just one tent and three rings
And all of the excitement
That a good old circus brings
There would be elephants and lions
Trapeze artists overhead
Dancing dogs and ponies
And zebras painted red
Clowns of all description
Answering to just one man
In the center of the circle
Was Mishkin brother....Dan
He'd run the show for twenty years
Gone from town to town to town
In one day they would get set up
And in two, they'd tear it down
One day to show the locals
The circus still was an event
With magic, form the Barnum Days
All housed inside one tent
The sideshow barkers and their geeks
Were not with this fine group
Dan Mishkin had assembled
Only the finest circus troup
From Russia he had jugglers
Knife throwers, just the best
Bareback riders from Decatur
Along with all the rest
Fourteen trucks and trailers
Pulled into town the night before
Breaking ground once they arrived
Working right through until four
Just old time entertainment
No travelling gypsy band was this
It was the Mishkin Brothers Circus
It was something not to miss
The show was started promptly
At twelve o'clock, like the sign said
A parade of all the players
And the zebras painted red
Two shows and it was over
The whole routine began anew
The field was once more empty
Gone was the Mishkin rolling zoo
A year from now, we'd see the signs
And we'd all go to the tent
To see the Mishkin Brothers Circus
The best money ever spent
Categories:
barkers, america, nostalgia,
Form:
Rhyme
Cossack Cowboys
Riding Llamas
That they dress
In pink pajamas
Teeny boppers
Blowing bubbles
Biker chicks
Causing trouble
Nuns in Habits
Punks in chains
One or two
Of the deranged
Rubbing Buddha belly
Cravers
And the band
Harvey Danger
David Bowie
Elton John
Both of them
With Spacesuits on
Vegetarians
Eating chicken
Love it fried
Finger licking
In a line to
Meet and greet Obama
Now I wish
I'd brought my Mama
On the T.V.
Slicing, Dicing
Infomercials
Are enlightening
Lindsey Lohan
There's more trouble
Send the Police
On the double
Michael Jackson
With his monkey
Chandelier
Swinging junkies
Bottle Rocket
Ridding crickets
Dolly Parton
Doing dishes
Tubs of Crisco
Set for wrestling
Bee Gees do be
Disco dancing
With Bruce Jenner
Wearing makeup
Dolly's kitchen
Filled with soap suds
Rubber band
Bumper babies
Call me odd
Don't call me crazy
Shooting stars
Carry Uzis
Washed up stars
Drink beer in Koozies
Donnie Osmond
Singing show tunes
As Marie blows
Animal balloons
Circus Barkers
And their Minions
Waylon left us
Shooter Jennings
Heidi Klum
Without makeup
To say the least
She looks a bit rough
American flags
As rainbow banners
Peal, scratch, and sniff
Talking bananas
Hookha smoking
Manatees
Oh yea...
and then there's me
These are just a few of the things that lean
On the lamp post of my dreams
Categories:
barkers, dream, funny,
Form:
Rhyme
Wally some call him Zip (fed em black duck) (crow actually) Kakadu song man of Gulf town
Karumba Australia
Stay alive in 55 and 56 said the roadside sign..
As the Ford Mercury whizzed by on local Brisbane time...
A flat head 8 jumped into a muffled roar...
And Bronco Don gave it its head full bloody bore..
Bill Brummell was a waiting Aunty Nell was coming by..
And of course she'd bring the Johnson's little grubs like Mark and I...
So we lurched and wobbled cross country to the coast...
And aunty Grace was awaiting for sure shed cooked a roast..
So I followed cousin Wally about the Cleveland farm..
And watched him eat a melon from the inside without harm
Cut a hole put his head in, call him melon head?..
Just like a giant white ant this I say god strike me dead?..
Down in the valley my love is so low...
Sang old Slim Whitman on the valve radio..
old Don bought an inter truck a droving we would go..
to the Moonie floods back more than 50 years or so...
then Zip some call him Walter, he got a grand idea...
went to shoot some wild duck with a threeoh and some beer.... .303cal
so he lined up a wood duck but a crow got in the way..
so he reefed and pulled the trigger, just tough duck is all he'd say...
yes these ducks had big black feathers when talking they said ark...
(not like them squeaky yank crows)
Wally plucked and filled the stew pot says its duck or just a lark..
Drunken ring barkers were hungry scoffed the lot in one quick feed...
And they were farting feathers till the crowing parts were freed...
Don Johnson...
OUR MATE WALLY...
Oh they call him Wally Brummell and some just say old Zip..
He wrote and sang about Kakadu on the radio a bit...
Hes seen the passing of the horses and the drovers all gone too...
The rain don't come cos the trees are gone from Brisbane to Barcoo....bad hey...
Old trees that had a life force, as strong as me or you...
Killed by the ring barkers axe and bulldozed burnt so blue..
But if the desert reclaims its own, if the hungry farmer knew ?...
Would he let a sapling live its life, from Brisbane to Barcoo?...nope...
Don Johnson..
http://www.scullywag.com/kokoda1942st...
Categories:
barkers, cowboy-westernold, me, old, cousin,
Form:
Rhyme
I SIT IN FRONT
OF THE TV SCREEN
WATCHING NOTHINGNESS
THAT APPEARS TO BE REAL
TO
APPEAL
TO
THE VIEWER’S VISCERAL FEEL
BUT IN REALITY
NO MORE REAL
THAN THE BARKERS SPIEL
OR THE SALESMAN'S DEAL
WATCH OUT
ON THE WORLD’S TV SCREEN
FOR THE SALESMAN ‘S STEAL
AND THEIR PROMISE TO HEAL
TIGHTEN REAL TIGHT YOUR RESOLVE
AND BE READY TO CLOSE OFF
THE FOLLOW UP
ATTEMPT TO BE HAD
Categories:
barkers, abuse, betrayal, body, care,
Form:
Free verse
She sneaks into town
In the middle of the night;
Sets up before daybreak.
Her colors blind the town square.
Her barkers have games set up before the crowd arrives.
Her fantastic rides take two tickets;
Most kids lament they only have ten.
Some get replenished by their parents.
Others do not.
She smiles as she hears the two-year olds
screeching with delight on her multi-painted ponies.
She gloats that the mommies and daddies are willing to
stay in line for an hour.
The joy she brings is unparalleled; her bosom swells
with the knowledge that her enthusiasm has turned yet
another small middle earth town upside down.
She knows the inhabitants all look forward to her hot,
salted pretzels and cotton candy and depend upon her every year.
There are bicycle parades, and floats to honor her arrival.
She lures them into her tents, where they see crazy, unexpected miracles.
These folk talk about her for a whole year, glorying in being
held upside down for what seemed like hours snapped tightly
in one of her two ha-ha terrifying roller coasters,
Expounding on tales gleaned from her bowels.
She sneaks out as quietly as she sneaked in.
Taking her joy and colors with her, hoping to
be back another year.
Written 12/02/2018 Contest: Early December 2018
Sponsor: Brian Strand
Categories:
barkers, 3rd grade, 4th grade,
Form:
Personification
Those claiming their religious pride
With snide invective speech,
Insult all those who don't abide
With what that pride might preach.
These sideshow barkers blowin' wind,
Who count the coin each night
Are parasites who preach on sin,
Like bloated beasts of blight.
They rant and bend the righteous word
To save new souls each day,
But words once used and often heard
Are soon to be passee.
Bring forth and save both rich and poor
Jehovah wants them back.
The sinning Saint and Saintly whore,
In danger of attack.
All children claimed by Christian fire
Must pray for God's good grace
To slay the sin of dark desire
That leads men to disgrace.
The preacher begs and then he pleads,
Conversion's case so clear,
Professing love for souls who need
Relief from grief and fear.
I say give all your wealth away
To prove great sacrifice.
From Tel Aviv to Rome today,
Divest and roll the dice.
Be prophets setting poor men free
And leave your gold charade.
Accumulate humility;
Not one cathedral saved.
No mighty crystal palace stands!
No Roman banks to own!
No ducat left in greedy hands
Worn down by tithes to bone.
Then I shall feed and comfort you
If you need board and bed,
For I will do what God would do
Before mankind is dead!
Categories:
barkers, men, pride,
Form:
Quatrain
Flawed Masquerade Carnival
Upon the midway of imperfection,
The traveling human circus, “illusion” of perfection,
A masquerading “mask,” in carnival unmasked,
Lies “cracked” in equinox
Like “torn” tickets discarded in the sawdust of dreams
As the “façade” crashes down into “flawed” fragments
To scatter splinters in wild spinning carousels
Flinging away the costumes of sideshows
All exposed wearing nothing but transparent truth.
Bathed in dignity
Integrity rises up shaking off ballyhooed dust
Shuts out the carney’s “broken” come-ons,
Taunts and barkers no longer entice,
Clothed in capes woven of calypso sunlight
Scarred arms, no longer concealed,
Reach out to clasp thundering pure moonbeams
Discarding charade’s ragged camouflage
And the “imperfect” circus moves on to another town.
6-21-21
Contest: Flawed
Sponsor: Constance La France
Prompt words: flawed, mask, broken, cracked, façade, torn, illusion, imperfect
Categories:
barkers, life,
Form:
Free verse
What struck you first
was the smell of caged animals
rank with boredom and rage.
Lions with matted fur pacing restlessly
dreaming of antelopes on the hot savanna plain
Elephants ponderously swinging their trunks,
snuffling up stray peanuts thrown
by bored, sticky children.
The teams of acrobats in the Big Tent
strutting defiantly to their ropes and swings
knowing that a dark part of their audience's minds
secretly wishes that they would fall.
The brash and pitiless Midway
where barkers yelled at you to play a game
and made no secret what they thought of you:
RUBE.
I'll miss it when it's gone.
Categories:
barkers, animal, farewell, memory, nostalgia,
Form:
Free verse
the square
was packed
& the high street full
meat&veg seemed plentiful
market barkers
drew the queues
with jokes
impromptu
shoppers filed
neat& formal
in sainsburys greggs
& home colonial
the bacon slicer
shuttled back& forth
rashers scaled
in halves&fourths
bread mealed smooth&strong
butter patted shaped oblong
cheese cut with twangy wire
toasted later on an open fire
ham sliced from the bone
spuds bagged weighed in stones
tea from open square tins
packet-served with a welcome grin
'woollies' snackbar smells
'elevenses' hunger time to quell
one mug of ovaltine must'nt dally
so shortcut thru' market alley
where auctioneers tones rise&fall
above the sheep&cattle stalls
then off homewards at a trot
last pennies spent in feaseys sweetshop
on the train bridge 'spotted' numbers new
waited whilst the 'cutler' raced thru'
along pebble brook time to climb a tree
on this day shopping was made coupon-free
Categories:
barkers, memory, nostalgia,
Form:
Rhyme
I Watched While the World Slept
The simple minds are sleeping
On the threshold of the moon
While nocturnal wolves are weeping
None hear the barkers swoon
Darkness is uncertain
Most will never see The other side of the curtain
Yet I’m awake perpetually
Miles of asphalt vacant
It belongs to me
When the sun runs rampant
I relinquish it reluctantly
Dying quasars gleaming
Exclusively for me
A million suns rotating
Under weight of gravity
A sleeping world doesn’t see
When my day has begun
The night belongs to me
It’s in this that I’m undone Confined to solitary!
Categories:
barkers, anxiety,
Form:
Quatrain