circus

the circus
comes into town.
it's a parade
of elephants
and clowns.
a man on stilts
a woman with
a beard. a caged
panther
with green eyes.
the acrobats
in their tights
feeling the need
to wave
and be sparkly.
the hunger artist
on a bed
of straw, wisened
without food.
his oversized
brown eyes
sad with what
he knows.
the jugglers with
pins, bouncing
on their toes.
the human cannon
ball with
smudges of black
on his red
face. there goes
the strong man
in his green tights,
flexing his balled
muscles. they seem
happy in their
life. going from
town to town
to take the grey
out of you.