Love so embarrassing
so cliche so cornball
until we learn to wear
circus clown makeup
to weather the stares.
One happier skips wow
the other sad trips ough
one now the other trade
places slouched hopped
funny honey and lonely.
Only the sophisticated
survive the scour of war
hot and cold sweets
sweat and sour clowns
look back give and take.
The fool fools around
plays the fool joins
the idiomatic circus
come to town edge
to collect the shunned.
Under the big top
in love’s pitched tent
fools dress in windbags
ride wobbly surfboards
hang ten on highwires
address the audience
the folly of a crowd
give the schmucks
their head amid
claps and laughs.
The Coming of the Toads 