When The Circus Never Leaves Town

Just cause you got the monkey off your back doesn't mean the circus has left town. -George Carlin

The Doors, Strange Days Album Cover

out in the alleyway

the one with thirsty ivy growing on a faux facade

weirdness spills on life's big top sidewalk

complete with a face-painted juggler

spinning acrobats

a smiling, cane-wielding midget in a fedora dances whilst a bald, skirted, strong man lifts nothing

where a trumpet player blows polished, brass strangeness too

missing is a tent with three rings

conspicuously absent a soothsayer

not to mention a clown

and pitchmen hawking miracle elixirs

where that which was up turns right-side down

disappointment turns a moody smile into a spectacled frown

as you wait for the real circus to come to town

Author's Note

'Democracy is the art and science of running the circus from the monkey cage." - H. L. Mencken

Reviews

[Poetic Beauty]

You know I could picture the streets of New York City looking like this. All the obscure and strange roaming around. Great images and thoughts painted here

[Pete]

i lived in a seedy suburb just north of boston and it often felt this way. never knew what i'd see. all i could do was shake my head and laugh.