The Story of the Menagerie Man

The circus music starts to play,
An all-too-familiar tune,
As you stand in line at the ticket booth
On a sweltering day in June.
You smell the unmistakable stench
Of dirt and animals and sweat.
You’re lucky though, it’s even worse
When the grounds around are wet.
But before you go in the big top
There’s a sight that you must see,
So follow me to the big striped tent
That houses the menagerie.
Come one, come all, and be amazed
By the exotic creatures here!
That lion there? He has no teeth!
See? There’s nothing you should fear!
Take a gander at the orangutan,
The polar bear, the horse!
You can feed and pet them if you like,
For a coin or two, of course.
What’s that, you ask?
That elephant there?
Oh, pay no mind to her.
She’s dumb as a post,
Blank as a page!
That I can promise you, sir.
But we both know you don’t agree –
Surely, she must be smart...
You see the smile and twinkle in her eye
And know that she has a heart.
I guess that’s why you won her over
And I’m the loser here,
Lying in a pool of my own blood
With the tunnel’s light so near.

An elephant, a killer?
Now, who’d ‘a thought ‘a that?
That big ‘ol gentle giant
Who chuckled while taking your hat?
Sometimes what you least expect
Can knock you off your feet,
So walk away now,
This show’s over;
Go and take your seat
To try and watch your money’s worth
Of acrobats and clowns
While I wallow in untimely death
And face the devil’s frown.
You’re the only one who knows the truth,
But an alibi you won’t give;
Since you’re the lover and I’m the crook,
The elephant will live.

The memory of me will fade
And that horrid beast will smile.
That dumb ‘ol broad is smart as hell
And she won’t reconcile.
Instead you’ll all live happily
In your life of circus bliss,
Watching talents of animals and kinkers –
My cruelty won’t be missed.

______________________________

Now you sit behind the booth
That forms the ticket line;
The circus music so informal
It’s always in your mind.
But the menagerie’s your favorite,
You’re in there all the time
Where my ghost lives on
In that big striped tent,
Repeating this cryptic rhyme.