"Step Right Up!"

“Step right up! Tickets, please!”

Come along for the freak-show

Flashy, lights in a dusk-filled sky

Run my trapeze act

A net-less catch, the audience gasps

Flips and tricks, swing through heated hot-hoops,

For whom do I owe this performance?

-

A spotlight appears,

Speckles of dusty dirt

Kick up from the ground

A 'marvelous' SNAP

Fade to black, only you, ...and I

Just do it, just say, “...High,”

My hand held, like a snowman in July

-

I lost, my heart on the carousel

Round and round

Fiberglass mane flowing

Makeup running, or is it mine?

A smile that could light up the night,

Sulfur exploding brilliantly, loudly.

I honk to meet your gaze

-

Distorted faces, reflected noise

How beautiful you are

The nymph of my cotton-candy dreams

“Where’s the exit?”

CRASH

Mirrored walls and a thousand tears

"Aw, what a fun, fun haunted house"

-

Euphoric heights, breath of fresh air, tingling sensation

DROP

Side to side, sticky wheels, splintered wood

WHIPLASH

“Thanks for riding,”

“Sorry, the ferris wheel’s closed,”

Roses for you? Thorns to my heart

-

Popcorn scraps, butter you up

Toss a ring, it’s impossible to win

Red balloon with latex smears,

Overinflated, over the ‘big’ top,

Held down by a string

Pop Pop, Pop Pop,

Goes old jack-in-the-box

-

“Step right up! Tickets, please!”

The lion roooars

"I’ve seen this act before."

The traveling circus is back in town,

Ringmaster, bling-caster,

But I’m just another one of the clowns.

The audience cheers not, for me