Greatest show on earth

Circus Comes To Town

They roll into town in the dead of night

on a blade of track that slices clean across

the prone rib of Main, quick striped gates neatly

chop a graceful swell of cool damp air clean

at the knee, towering starless boxcars

draw up for a chaste kiss, duty bound ranks closed

at parade rest, sweating angle iron and plate

tick off the mounting minutes until swarming

gangs of roustabouts, cropped drop forge faces gathered

into new moon clefts, throw back the doors on

The Greatest Show On Earth; my bundled dreams

Secured in broad canvas and plastered steamer trunks,

Pace the length and breadth of clattering

iron cages, Grin manically behind

cracked stricken pancake plaster, Hobbled

in a steel corral rolling eyeballs set to rim

twin cups of flared nostrils, Murmur silent

prayers of thanks for the net beneath, Spit

shine their tall black boots to a high gloss gleam

that mirror the tiers of jeering towners

lured here night after night by the cool clear

tone of the feathered air horn, keen for some

three ring thrills and chills under the Big Top;

perhaps a nervous elephant perched high above

a still glass of water in a small pool of light.