Calliope Tunes


She can hear calliope music
its jarring notes whistling
and the smell of burnt sugar
that makes her feel slightly sick.
"It's the Circus" she says to herself
and watches rain splash the pane

She remembers being excited
the first time she saw elephants
and the clown who made her scream
as he threw buckets of torn tissue
into the stalls where they sat.

She held Papa's hand so tight
That she slipped from the sweat
losing him in the barrelling crowds,
a stampede of eager hoards
doped on hallucinatory tunes and
addictive candy that popped in mouths.

In her childhood imagination
Papa was the clown and Mamma
spun on ropes as honky tonk tunes
trilled and thrilled the audience.

A garish clothed fool with rubber lips
and a nose that parped like a horn
found her and took her back to her seat
safe between Papa and Mamma

They watched a Cowboy and Indian show
That galloped in a frenzy around,
sawdust flying in choking dust
the whoops and calls deafening.

She was sick on the way home
a head pounding in pain from the strain
of that damn calliope music.
"I don't like the Circus" she murmurs,
"besides, its not fun when it rains."




Poetry by Elle The PoetBay support member heart!
Read 607 times
Written on 2014-01-14 at 08:08

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Ooh ... I know that feeling. I also don't like the circus for many reasons but the poem awakens all the senses with the gaiety of the expectation of such excitement. Very visual and very real at the end. :)
2014-01-15


Lawrence Beck The PoetBay support member heart!
Feeling a bit pissy today, I see. I'm trying not to laugh.
2014-01-14


countryfog
In mythology Calliope is the muse of epic poetry . . . I've always wondered how she came to be associated with such God-awful music. At least here she is also associated with a terrific poem.
2014-01-14


Chaucer Whethers The PoetBay support member heart!
In Calliope a series of subliminal expressions
are presented to the reader by the writer through
the senses of a young child which create an
effective dimension of the angst of remembered
temporal impressions along with perhaps some
lingering repercussions.
2014-01-14