The Bildungsroman of a Circus Clown’s Son

 

When he was born into a circus, what was done was done
He would never stop being heard of as the circus clowns first son
His baby clothes were remnants of the tents that made their homes
There were no baby walkers – just the trollies of ice cream cones

 When he was a toddler he had no mobile in the night
Instead he watched the trapeze artists high in graceful flight
And when he wanted a pet one day his parents shook with laughs
“Why son you’re in a circus – we have Elephants and Giraffes!”

 When other children started school he started juggling knives
While they were learning algebra he learnt the names of bearded wives
He wanted to fall in love one day and buy a house or two
But his father took his wig off and said “Son this is for you.”

 At just seventeen years old he had to pitch the family tent
All the glamour of the circus he started to resent
At 30 he was aching for a bank job and a bride
Not aching from untangling the contortionist inside

 The elephants made him nonchalant, a ford would just suffice
It doesn’t leave a steaming mess and it ain’t afraid of mice
When he was turning 50 he became a famous clown
The more he cheered the circus up the more it ground him down

 And finally he had a son himself – late to a young a fire breather
But she died an obvious death before they both had time to grieve her
And when the son at 6 said “Dad – should I jump through this big burning hoop?”
He said with little hesitation – “No – go work for the Tenet Group!”