Clowning Around

Sweet Clown, paint on your face

Prepare your act

Don’t wonder, sorrowing, about that patch;

That bare, uncluttered square –

Don’t pin your hopes on it

Learn not to care.

If you insist on pouring out your heart,

Remember there’s no contract

No agreement

And no part

Your loved ones have to play

Remember: some already

Have shown you they

Care, if mostly by return.

Soft Clown

Don’t let your cotton heart

Get trampled on, or burned

For you must focus now:

It’s time for your next show.

Weave those wordspells

Ready? Steady? Go!

Dance and sing and surely entertain

Draw on that smile

And don’t dwell on this

Shame

Shame

Shame

It’s such a pity

You can’t understand

How stupid you are

Going with word in hand

To fly your heart

Glittered, child-like, stupid

You’re not part

Of worlds you want

And will be forever marginalised

Just dance, Clown, dance

On that peripheral ridge

Where they can glance,

Let eyes slide over,

Not acknowledge

You as more than

Just a toy, which

When they pick you up

They oft enjoy

And, oh, that makes you crave them

Even more,

Knowing for a moment there

You made them

Want you, sure,

(Albeit fleetingly)

But no; the shelf’s the place

For thee:

Your flimsy soft-fluff self

Just can’t belong

And each time that you try

You’ll find

You’re wrong.