Writing Club: Circus

This week’s prompt was to write about the circus in any way. Maybe you are a circus performer, maybe one of the circus animal, maybe the circus personified. I wrote about looking at the circus through the eyes of a child and the eyes of an adult.

I really like the imagery invoked by the first piece but I prefer the ending of the second piece. Let me know what you think. Happy reading!

Prose

The sparkle of golden lights inside the heavy scarlet fabric of the big top. Butter, popcorn, and cotton candy flood my nose. Sugar melts on my tongue as I wait with gleeful anticipation for the lights to dim, for the brightly colored Ringmaster to step into that center ring with top hat in hand. His voice boisterous and loud as he welcomes us to the three-ring circus. My young senses are dazzled by the acrobats flinging themselves through the air. My heart in my throat as the tightrope walkers dance along the wire under the brilliant spotlight in vibrant costumes, shimmering with rhinestones. Awe strikes me silent at the massive elephants, a whole herd bedecked in red and gold. A lion roars, striking fear even as it responds to the crack of a whip in the hand of the animal tamer.

When I entered that tent I entered a world of wonder as a child, a place where people could fly and animals could dance. Then I watched Dumbo and wept as little Dumbo wept when his mother was locked away. How could people be so cruel as to punish her for protecting her child?

The magic of the memories did not shatter then but they were tainted, colored by human wickedness. Was the magic really misery? As an adult, I still love the bright lights and human energy of a carnival. The magic is still there but it is not the same.

Poetry

Bright lights
Big top
Three rings
Ringmaster claims
Our undivided attention
Humans defy gravity
Lions roar
Elephants dance
Childhood magic

But age 
And time
Teach 
They tell
That dancing
Animals 
Live small 
Sad lives
That people 
Are outcasts
Accepted only 
To perform

How? How
To reconcile 
Childhood magic
With adult
Pessimism 
Where?
Oh where
To find
Magic
When the 
World is 
Pain? 

Find balance
Glittering lights
No animals 
In cages
Be kind.
Kind 
To humanity 
No matter.
Where you go
Create magic

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