Small Top

Stapled to the edge of our seats
at the county fair's seedy circus
we chomp stale popcorn

discuss how drunk the clowns
have to get to come out
put on their sordid act

regard callously
the scarred lion tamer
reduced now to
taunting a 45-year old crocodile

the lame magician
performs his tricks
with no pride whatsoever
sighs with relief
when the dingy handkerchiefs
configure themselves as they're supposed to
though the main thing disappearing
is their once-bright colours

We critique the lack of subtlety
in the work of the sequin and latex-clad
stripper posing as a trapeze artist
there's no net
but I don't think she cares
falling would be a blessing
at this point
her eyes beg me to
shoot them all
every last one
degraded beast and human alike
put them out of their misery

On the way out, we inspect
closely the tattooed lady
bet on which one she's bedding
the gluttonous giant
or the parsimonious thin man
wonder silently to ourselves
what it takes for her
to remain in this life

If I were to complain to the hawker
fumbling for his smokes outside
He'd turn on me and shout
What the dickens did you expect
for three dollars?


----
(This is from this morning's Utne contest. The 10 words were:
seats glutton fair closely subtle whatsoever
dickens one inspect remain)