MAG 118
The Circus With the Yellow Clown - 1967 Marc Chagall
PAST THE VERGE
Rue du Fangas
Is where She remains
from atop a tower tall
and window dark
sold her elephants
and quit the circus.
His first act of tears
spilled over lips
sliding down a white, grief-stricken
sad open face
that stared into the crowd.
Behind him, the three-ring circus
rang on, looking through
trapeze artists in cosmic gowns
and how absurd a chicken at the circus
cackling into the crowd.
Hope smashed beyond repair
would his painted smile
fool this crowd?
A fixed crushing loneliness
of tight-rope, anguish
as she, wild with fury
while he a hazy blur of despair
closed the circus.
closed the circus.
Link to Magpie Tales
picture prompt
blog by Tess Kincaid
26 comments:
it's good a circus that had elephants is now closed. too bad she sold and elephants and did not have them sent to a safe and happy sanctuary.
show's about to begin
awww...i feel for the poor clown, having lost his love there seems to be little reason to continue the circus...what would it be without joy...
Good poem here, almost like the tragedy and romance.
I felt the anguish in your poem, anguish that must have been felt around the world as circuses first shrank, selling off their animals and then eventually giving up and closing, circuses with long histories of entertaining children of all ages.
It's just sad. There was a Brazilian circus once here which closed shop. The animals they left behind were pathetic. 'The circus is coming to town' is a thing of the past. Great write Karen!
Hank
Delicate sadness of your poem. regards.
There is an under lining message here, that rimgs a bell to the wise
How sad ands tragic! It moved me
Hugs
SueAnn
Lovely writing about a sad situation. You captured the emotions of having to let go so well. I'm not a big circus fan, yet I felt the sadness.
Nice composition!:)
Giving up one's hopes and dreams is a tragedy, where the silver lining is hard to find. Your poem expresses that anguish so very well. Thank you for sharing this, Karen. Your work is very expressive.
Several felt like giving you a hug. Me too.
The one thing we can be sure of is change, right?
No matter what the venue, time eventually seems to close it down...or morph it into a new arena.
NIcely done.
=)
Christopher- Thanks, hugs are wonderful!
Sue - you are absolutely right about that, every second, it just never know sometimes!
Kodjo, Absolutely there is!
Excellent metaphor.
Must be hard that final close. Behind a painted smile indeed! Fabulous write.
I am old enough to remember the days when 'the circus' came to town every year! Fascinating, thrilling ... those were the days.
Nice writing. Lately, when I think of circuses, I think of "Water for Elephants." My new post is in Sagecoveredhills--posted on Saturday-- http://sagecoveredhills.blogspot.com/2012/05/friday-morning-of-fishing-and-afternoon.html#comment-form
Whatever happened to 'On with the show?' :)
I had an image of a trapeze girl falling from a high wire come to mind, it spelled the end of the circus when she died. I love being sad, thanks .
They say a clown laughter hides a lifetime of tears and you brought it out so well in this evocative piece.
Animals were at times badly treated by their owners but are they off to a better place...hard to say.
Especially nice last line...
Sad but excellent.
Anna :o]
that's sad. we should never give up. where do we go if we give up?
Post a Comment