"The
Circus" by Linda Munson Peth
The circus makes its circuit, comes to town,
Brings
its roaring leopards,
Shepherds
of the lions, pawing in bronze cages,
Peanut-packing
elephants,
And,
of course, the Carousel of Horses,
Paint and
ponies for an eternity
Of up and down, around, around,
Boundless
circles for all children, large and small.
The ticket vendor calls you Mister, sends you a Big Supply.
We
eye each other over the animals,
Hand
the children to our sisters, walking arm-in-arm-away,
Goodbye!
Today,
pretending that we've only met,
We
agree,
Then meet
for tea and forget that we already know the Buttons,
All
the Miracle Fasteners of the Mind That come undone
Free
to roam, you take me to
Your
mother's home,
Show
me showcase, collection of glass birds,
The
breakable kind, kept in her room,
Ones she loved best.
They
do their part; we do the rest, discussing relatives,
The nature of sin.
Now
that you've got me here,
You
say you'll lock the doors,
Me in, so, I can't make the Great Escape,
Explaining,
as you kneel down, checking for a Cinderella Shoe,
A Wild
rose Crown,
Thorns
and flowers.
There
is Bread and Butter
Supper
for two.
You know all the right things to say and do,
And
when I feel a chill that's coming on,
A kind
of weakness of the knees,
Impassioned
pleas
Against
freezing,
You
take a robe from wardrobe, wrap me up,
Parcel tied with string.
There's
a home remedy, you sing,
One
you know, one you owe,
Panacea,
warm glass of milk,
And honey, it's good for you, good for me,
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And I can tell that you believe it.
Since I am a prisoner by choice, I do not care
To voice a contradictory opinion, state of mind.
Anything you do sounds good to me.
This is is no ordinary capture.
It's esprit.
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