…in keeping with my ‘dark’ suspicions about clowns…
Laughing Larry
“gaze upon me
if you will
my countenance crafted
to fool
and thrill
I’ve spent years in greasepaint
fear
and sorrow
I rue the past
I dread tomorrow”
they call me laughing larry
it wasn’t intentional
you see
I only wanted her to
hear me
to know my heart
but her laughter
her hollow
taunting laughter
her laughter wouldn’t stop
it wouldn’t stop
and I needed her to hear me
to understand how I felt
but the laughing
and laughing
the incessant laughing
I simply couldn’t have the laughing
so I made it stop
now I hide behind this painted smile
now everyone is laughing
and laughing
but I no longer hear
I’ll spend years in greasepaint
fear
and sorrow
rueing the past
dreading tomorrow
~ ~ ~
rob kistner © 2020
“Laughing Larry”–brilliant, and even without Curly Joe and Moe, this Pennywise wanna’be is red wig to feral eyes parallel to Bjorn’s dark vision. I had to write about asshat Donny; couldn’t help myself.
Thank you Glenn.
Rob, the sad maniac you have painted chills me to the bone. Between your clown and Bjorn’s I’m sure to have nightmares tonight! What stands out for me is the refrain of the last stanza.
Very happy to see you at dVerse again.
Yes, nice to past the sickness and depression, and to be back at it. Wow, Bjorn went absent of light dark — and Ilovedit! Fun prompt! 🙂
You make me shiver when reading about Larry… clowns are scary
Especially sociopathic clowns — always makes me wonder what the makeup is hiding. ??
If I wasn’t already scared of clowns, Rob, I would be after reading about your Laughing Larry! The first-person speaker and direct address are so effective and very chilling, as is the repetition of ‘laughter’ and ’laughing’, echoing through your poem and the sudden, isolated line ‘so I made it stop’.
Thank you Kim for sharing that sincere reaction with me, I am pleased more than you know. I have had a very rough six months and I had lost a little confidence in my ability to write effectively. Sickness and depression had almost completely shut me down. I continued to create my craft art. My hands,though slightly arthritic, are still working well. My three-dimensional design and my sense of color, texture, and assembly still is on point. That creative work has been fine. I continue to turn out fine totems and talisman — thankfully. I was juried into another top-tier PacNW art show for August — but the show was cancelled by Covid-19. It was a disappointment, a set back. I had created a nice portfolio of new pieces. But my thinking has become mildly tangled, my distraction is growing, and it’s been a struggle to find my voice, my writers voice that is. But I need to do that, and am trying to again stir my muse, so thank for your sincerity. It is very encouraging Kim.
fear
and sorrow
rueing the past
dreading tomorrow
Very true, Rob! We don’t really know how is the face behind the mask. They may be just as sad, considering what the whole world is fascing now
Hank
Dread is a plentiful commodity in this time!
Very scary Rob- so well done!
Thank you Linda
It sounds like Laughing Larry has some past issues that he needs to work out. The poor guy obviously felt bullied or bruised by this girl or someone else. He should seek help before snapping.
I believe he worked out his most pressing issue Christine — or should I say… “wiped out”.
Love your poem, but don’t much care for your Larry the clown. He’s very frightening.
Thank you Misky! No, Larry is about as likable as any sociopath — which isn’t very… 😉
This read like a rolling thunderball …. wow. Nice write!
Thank you very much Helen, I appreciate your enthusiasm. 🙂
oh dear. this is a heart clencher!
The mind of s sociopath is a disturbing thing.