Here it is dear readers, the next and final part of our old Clown's tribulations and explorations of the New world. For those of you that made it all the way through I hope you enjoyed the ride.If you didn't, read from the beginning here, and follow the links from there.
Part 1 - Tragic beginnings and the Livid Storm
Part 2 - The Carnival is Dead
Part 3 - The Clown and Robert Johnson
Part 4 - The Angel and the Greatest Show on Earth
Now all aboard the circus train its time to head back into the New World.
8
He wanders
on as born anew
ruminating
on what’s true.
“What is
truly part of me and of my desires?
Do I still
retain in me what my work requires?”
The road is
long, the country vast
he travels
slow and fast.
The road
slowly eats his shoes.
He’s almost
ready for a snooze
when some
papers blow right past.
“It is two
circus flyers.”
His heart
starts pounding very fast.
And there
it is so splendidly
standing in
a field.
It’s trains
and wagons all around,
a Big Top
and Menagerie
so lavishly
revealed.
It is the
greatest show on earth,
finally,
he’ll show his worth.
This is his
perfect chance.
So happy is
our little clown
He jigs a
little dance.
It is the
great big circus’ charity matiné,
he hears
the proud ringmaster say.
‘Are all
the kids from the Orphanage here?’
from the
tent, a great big cheer.
‘How ‘bout
the kids from the hospital?’
the
response, not quite as capital.
Some kids
too weak and others broken
but their
smiles are their tokens,
they never
could have loved it more.
It makes
their spirits soar.
‘This is
it, this is the day,
now can
come whatever may.
No more
masks.
The nose is
gone.
I never
willed
to be the
best
I just
wanted to be me.
I was
stupid not to see
What is
done comes not undone.
No longer
will I run.
I’ll be
doing this for them
For all
those who remind me of
my only
little love.
He sneaks
inside the grand big top
looking
like a hobo.
There’s no
one there to tell him stop.
As he
enters through the canvas flaps
his luck of
luck it is
the clown
brigade
is on his
way to stop a fire’s fizz.
Stupid
looking firemen in baggy pants and suits,
other
grotesquely smiling clowns
dressed in
giant boots,
are
stomping on a fire.
Whilst they
fall and run around
our hobo
clown stands still
with
tension and a zeist for life -
his dreams
so soon fulfilled.
Then the
clowns they notice him.
“Is that
hobo clown a bum?”
The Clown
Captain runs across
to evict
him from the ring
but our
hobo clown plays dumb
he doesn’t
care about a thing.
Then the
crowd all notice him
he goes out
on a limb.
As the
Clown Captain grabs his neck
our clown
he wrestles loose
and gives
the Captain’s cheek a peck.
Then he
falls down to the ground
in the most
surprising manner
he rolls
and squirms just like a snake
towards the
circus banner.
The
children laugh at the funny man.
That makes
the other clowns get mad.
‘Who is
this guy stealing laughs and joy?
Who makes
all the gags we can employ
seem
tiresome and old.
Let’s get
the intruder out of here.
When we get
our funny hands on him
he wont be
so bold.
But as they
do the best they can
to grab the
clumsy man
he falls or
drops or spins around
to the
music of the band.
His tricks
miraculously saves him
from the
fury of the clowns.
Which makes
them chase him harder,
sawdust
flying from the grounds.
The
Ringmaster did shout:
“Who is
this guy I want him out
he is
ruining the show.”
The mighty
swarm of clowns
is closing
on our funny man,
his chances
they look slim,
but it doesn’t
seem to bother him.
He jumps
inside the centre ring
where the
tiger cage is set.
He runs
inside and quickly stops,
kicking
sawdust and some bottle tops,
then all
the clowns gets in the cage
with
sinister looking props.
But just
before they jump on him
comes the
most surprising stunt.
He jumps
out through safety gap,
so tight it
makes him grunt.
And snaps
the lock down shut.
Then he
stands alone.
The only in
the ring.
For a
moment there he thinks
he hears
the angels sing.
He is the
only one not in a cage.
The clowns
all are looking
like lions
in their rage.
The
thunderous applause
and the
loud appreciation,
so powerful
that it shook
the entire
nation
The
ringmaster says:
“Who is
this guy?
I need to
know
I want him
in the show.”
Everyone
inside the tent,
there is
more than
ten
thousand
stands up
in their ovation.
Which is
quite unusual
for a
clowns creation.
“I have
never witnessed this
and I have
been around,”
said the
stirred Ringmaster,
he was
breathing ever faster.
“He doesn’t
wear a painted face.
No red nose
sits in place.
It’s just a
man.
The
applause it has become so wild
it’s drowning
out the band.”
All the
crowd is clapping
Except one
little girl.
Warily the
girl stands up
and strokes
away a curl
Eyes locked
at the hobo
She walkes
out in the ring.
For the
first in the longest time
the old
clown is happy.
Forgotten
is the strife and grime.
He’s
feeling rather sappy.
Then he
sees the little girl
and her
long blond hair.
Like an
angel, she’s so fair.
She looks
just like his little girl.
So
beautiful she can’t be
of this
retched world.
The crowd’s
noise,
so loud it
makes him dizzy.
His little
brain is way too busy.
‘It cannot
be.
Was I not
free?
Why come
this apparition now to me?’
His heart
is pounding in his chest
Almost
bursting from his breast.
‘Now, I am
possessed.’
He holds on
to his breaking heart.
‘This is
it.
She has
come to take me home.
My heart
has broken.
Thank you
lord for letting me
make them
laugh again.
Smiles
abound so nice to see.
Just one
more time before I died.
Thank you
and amen.’
He holds
his arms out to the side
towards his
angle girl
Now let us
fly. Take us home
up through
the circus dome.
Let
eternity unfurl.
If my mind
is playing tricks on me,
if this all
is a dream,
then dear
God let me please
just sleep
and sleep and sleep.
His eyes
are now so filled with tears.
He he can
not see her face
The girl
holds out her hands
into empty
space.
And the
crowd quiets down a bit
Some in the
front now sit.
His tears
makes him strain his eyes
makes the
spotlights shine like stars.
Then he
sees the necklace
on her neck
so slight.
It fills
him fast as fright:
A picture
of that night.
The
Necklace that he knows so well,
the ship of
holy writ.
The very
recreation.
The very
Noah’s ark
he gave to
her before the swell
ate her
like a shark.
Now she
comes on over
and
whispers out his name.
And after
that our old clown
never was
the same.
The old man
buckles and falls down to his knees
She puts
her arms around her dad.
‘Please now
father don’t be sad
You
promised me: ‘it won’t be bad.’
And now I
know its true.
I have so
much to tell to you
I clung so
long to the broken mast
But please
now father
hold me
fast
and never
let me go.
They said
that you would never come
but I
always told them no.’
The father
cried and cried and cried
He couldn’t
make it stop.
No matter
how he tried
He flung
his arms around his girl.
‘My
precious little pearl.
The miracle
of miracles,
It finally
came through.
Standing
real before me now
it is
really you.
It really
is my gorgeous dove
my only
little love.’
x
Thank to all those of you who found time for the full experience.
Yours truly
Captain Frodo
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