The Comedy Queen

[smokingboot]

I don’t have a moment’s sorrow
Undiluted by sunlight;
I have dust motes
On the surface of a mirror
Cracks in the pavement
Alloys in joy

Clown shoes in a trunk
An unquiet jester
Who cannot stop laughing
And won’t let me, either.
And when I say ‘stop now!’
It looks so puzzled,

Belled head jingling:
Scalps on a belt.
‘But you know how it is,
You know very well.
And you can’t stop to
Filter blood out of ink,

Tell the travels of clouds
Or believe in true lies,’
Sorrow untouched
By anger or laughter
Is a reed in the river
Too rare for entangling

The slim crescent rises
And frog music plays
Above, a patient star says
Cast your tears to flight
For the song is waiting,
And everything, everything is new.’