CARROUSEL
This passes so dizzyingly fast
and close, it frightens me
The horses blur, their rainbow colour fades to grey
Music screams of fun, bells loudly sound
Children's delight wins it all
Two small blond faces grin so broadly:
"One more time, Darren please?"
My pocket produces two shiny coins
of promise, of one more round.
Four feet jumping in joint fun.
My head spins faster than that... thing...
The noise is overwhelming, I withdraw
In me. But it is worth every dime and time.
We go again, my heart clutches a
treasure, bigger than two coins: family life.
***
December 18, 2016
The Carrousel of sex
My sister held a party she lived across the road from us
my wife wouldn’t go she was not on speaking terms with
my sister as they often did.
There were many women there, and one was especially and
charming laughed at my feeble jokes and when it got late
I agreed to follow her home as it was dark and autumnally
we had sex on a park bench, but it struck me as sordid and
I pulled away said sorry and walked home.
I was riven by guilt and also anger this was a trap I a man
had walked headless into I cursed my stupidity.
back home my wife was fast asleep she had been a the gin
we had breakfast at ten, it was a Sunday, and I was quite said
I was still tired and waited for her to berate me, she didn`t.
In the affairs of the heart, it is better to tell an untruth
because women will only believe what they have decided
to be the verity
Years later after we divorced- for another reason- she said
me she had been sleeping with the man who collected rubbish
every week and I thought of the woman in the park and my
sister who had a reason for disliking my wife
Orbiting a pole is it's sole function
I have yet to determine a purpose
The bedazzle causes the children to run
But the idea, I can't quite interpret
A merry go round would suit just fine
No need for heads or tails
No creepy eyes staring in to mine
No music, whistles or bells
It defies reason, if your thinking logically
With Lions, tigers and bears
This haunted contraption forever taunts me
My nightmares begin at the fair
Rusting gold and chipped paint
Up, down and around
You may take a spin, but I feel faint
With the tune of a devilish sound
Clowns are usually a package deal
When this sinister circle's in motion
Not bothered too much by their wicked appeal
Only this revolving locomotion
Crazing clown face rises
above the four way road
chucking chunky Iron coins
down its comedic throat
roller-coaster amusement
carrousel at night
silently spinning
moving against the slight
wind, pushing everything
along its shy way
Twisted it might be
Yet lovely is what most describe
It might be imagined as a carrousel
For some of its scenes are continual
Beads embed it together
Holding it strong and light as a feather
It's not heavy nor concrete
But, we feel every tone it beats
Many adore it for what they have
And many adore it because of the people they would never halve
Sometimes, a breeze might change its direction
To moments of affection
It is not an enemy to any of us
It's a symbol we all share and trust
It is a cycle everyone designs in a unique way
It is LIFE each pass through and never slay....
For it is not judged by the way everyday passes
Nor by how long each lives....
But, by the moments spent with every person
By the treasure each engulfs when found....
For....
"It is not length of life, but depth of life" -Ralph Waldo Emerson
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