Don’t Watch Her Leave

A juggler announces fair beauty 
And she sits upon a pedestal 
Smaller than she was before 
Accommodating his need  
To keep her on display 

One can’t help but wonder 
If this porcelain figure  
Truly traveled through the past 
For if she did 
Where are her cracks? 

The juggler continues his craft 
Each ball glowing with life 
He stole from the world 
Slinging them round 
And crafting his own universe 

So come to the circus! 
Where the elephant forgot to dance 
The lion has lost her voice 
And the porcelain display 
Whispers warnings 
For all but him to hear 

What a lovely circus! 
But don’t look away 
Or the elephant disappears
And the lion won’t stay 
The figure will fade 
Smaller than before 
And the juggler will curse 
His vanishing display 

When the tent lights with color 
Strobing blues and reds 
Wonder what you’ll find 
And what you wish 
It was instead 

There is wailing in the circus 
So call all your friends 
See a juggler win a game 
Like he always does 
In the end

Popcorn litters the floor 
But don’t mind the smell 
The festering comes  
From someone else’s Hell
 
The lion returns to stalk the stage 
Ribs bare 
Flesh rotting off the bones 
And head held high 
This is how you know 
The porcelain doll is 
For a moment 
Safe 

Promise me  
Promise you’ll watch her stay 
Let your heart break 
When the lion turns to glass 
Watch when her joints shatter 
And when she leaves shards on the ground 
But promise me 
Promise 
That you won’t watch her leave.