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Saturday, 21 April 2018

Running Away From The Circus


Running Away From The Circus

I ran away from the Circus last year -
I couldn’t stand the excitement you see.
I’d had enough of unpredictability -
From the ring-master I had to be free.

The lions and tigers kept roaring -
At night their noises kept me awake,
And the smell of droppings in the saw-dust
Was more than my nostrils could take.

The painted clowns brought me right down:
Enthusiasm I just couldn’t muster.
I started to freeze beneath the trapeze,
And sword-swallowing lost all of its lustre.

I craved a career as an accountant,
Using computers, with pinging and beeping.
It’s a real treat to work with a spread-sheet,
And rows of double-entry book-keeping.

Pencils, staplers and clean stationery
Now bring a great smile to my lips,
But better still is the enormous thrill
I get from my big pile of paper-clips.

The danger’s all gone now – that’s certainly true:
No horses or elephants to get in my way.
Now I’m frequently seen, near the coffee-machine,
Or photo-copying documents all day.

The big top now seems but a vague dream,
And to the fire-eater I owe a great debt,
But running car-hire is hardly high-wire,
And there’s no need for a safety-net.

Copyright Andy Fawthrop 2018

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