Circus Act

The anesthetized tiger,

mouth wide open,

the lady in leopardskin

inserting her head

The anesthetized woman

spinning on a disc,

the blindfolded knifethrower

slinging one blade after another

The anesthetized knifethrower,

neck poised on the knife edge,

the one-armed acrobat perched

on his trapeze, swooping back and forth

The anesthetized acrobat

catching from the heights his comrade’s cry

The audience screaming, clapping,

shutting their faces

The anesthetized audience

grumbling they can’t see

The heartless magician

showing again “that moment”,

its slow motion