Day 27: Circus For Two

Circus For Two

by

Matt Zurbo

 

Grandpa came to stay at Tommy’s,
wrinkly and frail.
Tommy ran and hid,
old people bored him without fail.

Tommy put on his costume,
tucked under the bed,
and imagined he was
a big bad monster, instead.

Then he noticed Grandpa,
standing straight, in a suit,
pulling rabbits from his hat,
and flowers, oh you beaut!

“I want to run away!” Tommy huffed,
stamping his little monster feet.
“Home has too much boredom
for one lone boy to beat!”

“Boring?” Grandpa gasped,
surely you’re having a laugh!
Why don’t we instead form,
a two-man circus in the bath?

Tommy and Grandpa, then planned a lot,

rehearsed,

rehearsed some more,

until they had an act,
that would knock off your socks!

Five cents at the gate,
was the going fee,
but if you had no money,
you got in for free!

The neighbourhood waited,
on the edge of their milk crates,
then the bed sheet fell,
revealing something great!

A dog that howled to Grandma’s records,

Cats dressed like ducks,

Clowns that made you laugh,

The neighbours couldn’t get enough!

(Sheet torch shadow of Grandpa’s hands making a crocodile, kid acting frightened)

(Sister skipping in front of bath, while Tommy blows bubbles, and Grandpa plays old vinyl record)

(Local garbage man standing in bath, lifting two bins, Tommy sitting on his shoulders, garbage truck in the background)

Last and best of all,
they did their magic trick!
Off went Tommy head!
People gasped, some were sick!

(Tommy, top of hair clearly visible, poking from where he has lowered his head into his monster suit, arms out, flying. Grandpa pulling a pineapple with a face painted on it out of his hat)

Odds are not everybody
got he humour that was involved,
but they laughed and they cheered,
and somehow felt quite bold.

Maybe no-one believed
the farting old dog was a lion,
But they had a good time,
and thanked Rover for trying.

After all that fun nothing
was ever quite the same.
Just the thought of boredom,
seemed to Tommy pretty lame.

Tommy shed a tear
the day Grandpa went home,
and wished that it would rain,
so that their bathtub show could roam.

Not long after that,
Grandpa got real sick,
Tommy went around,
to cheer him with circus tricks.

Soon enough, though, sadly,
Grandpa passed away,
Tommy cried and made a promise;
“Our circus is here to stay!”

Every bit as good,
as it was on that first day.

(Tommy dressed in same costume grandpa used to wear. Kid sister now a part of his act, with old dog)

The End