when the circus comes to town

i want

the circus to come back

into town.

i want to see the man

shot out

of a cannon

and fly across the sky.

i want to ooh and ahh

as the trapeze

artists

swing from bar to bar.

i want to smell the sawdust

and the cigar

smoke,

the perfume of it all.

i want

to see the midgets,

the freaks

behind the curtain,

the fat

lady with a beard,

the clowns.

i want dancing and music,

i want elephants

and lions

to stomp the ground.

i want to eat the pink

cotton candy,

to fill my belly with soda

and cracker jacks,

with torn ticket stubs in hand.

i want it to be

1965 again.