The Terrible Times of a Tightrope Walker
Katie Bierach
When dragons cart-wheeled into the carnival tent,
breathing lollipop breath, and seized four girls hostage,
neither clown nor tightrope walker could comment.
The traveling show, “Madame Foofoo Presents,”
flaunted feats of high voltage by Carter the Ostrich.
When dragons cart-wheeled into the carnival tent,
tumbling in just after the psychic’s portents,
the company cringed that they’d laughed at her presage.
Neither clown nor tightrope walker could comment
when it happened the next night. The repeated descents
on the Big Top wrought terror, no costumes to salvage.
When dragons cart-wheeled into the carnival tent,
grinning wet teeth, swinging pink tails of tridents,
inhaling suspense, causing more and more wreckage,
neither clown nor tightrope walker could comment.
The girls were ransomed at twenty-five cents—
but are zombies of violent reptilian knowledge.
When dragons cart-wheeled into the carnival tent,
neither clown nor tightrope walker could comment.
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