I met the clown through the glass.
His hollow eyes wrapped in sagging skin.
His painted smile had begun to droop
And he shrivelled under shaggy clothes.
He was the balloon man and all deflated
With ribbons tied to him like chains, we laughed.
Through gaps in his teeth he laughed too.
And we celebrated!
Balloons of every colour with ribbons and paint.
He waited for the balloons to carry him away
And another popped. He could have been singing.
No one would know. There was no sound.
But he had his cake and ate it too,
With rows of shining candles,
Which he smothered with a gasp.
Our eyes danced together with his song
And he smiled to see every pretty box was empty.
He was the fool and he was happy
It seemed to me behind the glass.
