Poem 114

A final clown poem I’d forgotten about! (see poems 31 and 77) … they all involve him dying I notice … this one’s about going out on a laugh …

The Clown’s Last Words

I've led a terrible life groaned the clown
dying
when I was young I stole from my mother's purse

who didn't I said and patted the pale
make up stained hand

   yes
   but how many
   hit her with a bottle first?