The spotlight flashes with a funny flair
on the sagged dress of a meek man on stage.
A miniature crimson cold sun shines stuck
on his puckered porcelain face of forced smile.
An animated caricature captured
in the frame of a comical frail figure,
tramps in inertia round and round
the circus arena to amuse awhile.
The sprightly body swivels in reflex
with the flexed shuffle of acrobatics,
as the sleight of supple hands performs
the perfect act of jugglery.
The labored buffoonery performed
by the funny fragile clown of lost soul,
falls flat as flakes of stale joke
on the silent spectators.
Before the neon lights go out
in the last show and the curtain falls,
the slapsticks peel slowly
the paint off his sweaty face.
The unmasked face trenches the trail of tears,
he has long shed un-noticed.
He leaves the stage singing a song,
the lyric written by his broken heart.
The uproar of laughter at long last
explodes with claps in the gallery.
The applause hails the clown,
left to live the comedy of hollow life.
Every evening, I could witness, in my childhood,
Beggars, going from home to home, for daily food;
Fear filtered into my heart, as though from fountains,
I could see, within me, many terror mountains...!
Visits of soothsayers, snake charmers, and vendors,
Magic, jugglery, witchcraft, and comic blenders;
Each one was considered a guest and was well-homed,
Each, as though members, wherever they wanted, roamed...!
Foreign visitors, often those with skins milk-white,
Made my heart pump very fast, increasing my fright;
Men sent on the query of a vivacious kind,
Set blaze, like volcanoes, firing fears in my mind...!
All these, yet, I feel now, had shot up like mushrooms,
Age and experience swept these away like brooms;
Xenophobia is a phase of growth, I learn,
Some humans, yet, in this urn, eternally burn...!!!
28 April 2023
Rhymes Checked At: Rhyme Zone
Syllables Checked At: How Many Syllables
The spotlight flashes fun on the sagged garb
An animated caricature in comical human figure
With miniature red sun stuck on the porcelain nose
Tramps around the circus pitch making silly jokes.
The nimble body turns in flexed acrobatic moves
Sleight of hands performs the perfect jugglery act
But the labored buffoonery of the fragile jester
Falls flat as peels of stale joke on silent spectators.
Before the neon lights go out in the last show
The slapsticks strip the paint off his sweaty face
Uncovering the trail of tears he has secretly cried
He sings a song on the lyric of his broken heart.
The urn of contained laughter explodes in the gallery
The applause hails Tatters, the grotesque clown of pathos.
_______________
January 6, 2023
Contest : Tatters
Sponsored by : Mystic Rose Rose
The spotlight flashes funny flair
on the showy sagged dress,
miniature crimson cold sun stuck
on the puckered porcelain face.
An animated caricature captured
in comical frail human figure,
tramps round and round
the circus arena to amuse.
The sprightly body swivels
in flexed shuffle of acrobatics,
sleight of supple hands performs
the perfect act of jugglery,
but the labored buffoonery
of the funny fragile joker,
falls flat as flakes of stale joke
on the silent spectators.
Before the neon lights go out
in the last show and the curtain falls,
the slapsticks peel slowly
the paint off his sweaty face,
unmask the trail of tears
he has long shed un-noticed.
He leaves the stage singing a song,
the lyric written by his broken heart.
The uproar of laughter at long last
explodes with claps in the gallery,
the applause hails the joker,
left to live the comedy of life.
____________________
September 15, 2022
For A Brian Strand Premiere Choice Contest
With wand's simple wave,
the magician makes the white
rabbit disappear.
The spotlight flashes funny flair on sagged dress,
miniature crimson sun stuck on the porcelain face.
An animated caricature in comical frail human figure
tramps round and round the circus pitch to amuse.
Sprightly body gyrates in flexed moves of acrobatics,
sleight of hands performs the perfect act of jugglery,
but labored buffoonery of the unfunny fragile clown
falls flat as flakes of stale joke on silent spectators.
Before the neon lights go out in the last show
the slapsticks peel the paint off his sweaty face.
Unmasking the trail of tears he has long cried
he sings a song on the lyric of his broken heart.
The uproar of laughter explodes in the gallery,
the applause hails the crumbled clown at the abyss.
March 6, 2020
Contest : Clown At The Abyss
Sponsor : Kai Michael Neumann
March 29, 2020
Contest : Strand No 710, Any Theme, Any Form
Sponsor : Brian Strand
My life is in hot summer you are the winter dear
Come fast come fast and make me a winner dear
Though I am living for a long time I missed a lot
For the thirst of love in you I found a river dear
In the jugglery of happenings I even lost myself
I am willing to gain myself please be near dear
Life is a riddle and I am suffering from confusions
Suddenly I met you now my views are clear dear
As I continue with the modes of living day by day
Give me a very great life and leave me never dear
Love is not at all a twist it is a must for you and I
Fail me not love me and make me a true lover dear
Staying with you is staying in poetry by all means
Do not go Rochishmon needs pleasure for ever dear
Looking for the formal definition, structure, and history of this poetry form? Visit the Poetry Dictionary entry below. Then return to explore how PoetrySoup members bring the form to life through their own poems.