"The Greatest Show On Earth"

I've made a spectacle
of the cold shoulder
trained my bitterness
tiger-like
to stand on its hind legs
and make its presence known

I've cried the tears of a clown
for your sport
and juggled insecurity and fear
while standing on one foot

I've walked the tightrope
that separates sanity
from its opposite
moving corpse-still
working without a net

And so, I am the ringmaster
of my loneliness
and the crowds cheer
save for you
who could care less
if I drop from the heights
get pied in the face
or eaten alive in the cage

You
who have fallen asleep in the stands
a trail of popcorn kernels
down your shirt.

- Teresa Jusino
6/22/05