04-03-2015, 11:41 AM
I never went to the circus as a child
I wanted to go. Once I was sent to buy tickets
and I gripped the banknote tightly, pleased
to be trusted. The office wasn’t open yet
so while I waited I checked out the monkeys
in cages. One came close to me, held out his paw
through the bars, and I held out my hand -
he looked so sad - and he stole my money
right out from between my fingers,
put it in his mouth, and chewed.
I went home crying. My father laughed.
A lifetime later, when my father was 30 years dead
I went to the last traveling circus in Australia.
A frosty high-country autumn night; in the ring
a dejected elephant kept picking up sand
and tossing it over her back, sand warmed
by the Big Top lights. My friend flirted
with the elephant keeper - a big girl, Barb,
good-natured and ponderous, he handled her easily.
It’s cruel to take an elephant into snow country.
I’ve hated Hannibal ever since.
I wanted to go. Once I was sent to buy tickets
and I gripped the banknote tightly, pleased
to be trusted. The office wasn’t open yet
so while I waited I checked out the monkeys
in cages. One came close to me, held out his paw
through the bars, and I held out my hand -
he looked so sad - and he stole my money
right out from between my fingers,
put it in his mouth, and chewed.
I went home crying. My father laughed.
A lifetime later, when my father was 30 years dead
I went to the last traveling circus in Australia.
A frosty high-country autumn night; in the ring
a dejected elephant kept picking up sand
and tossing it over her back, sand warmed
by the Big Top lights. My friend flirted
with the elephant keeper - a big girl, Barb,
good-natured and ponderous, he handled her easily.
It’s cruel to take an elephant into snow country.
I’ve hated Hannibal ever since.