The Nouveau Cirque

It used to arrive with razzmatazz
and settle on our village greens.
A great fanfare of traditional jazz
announced a show fit for a queen.

A big top would soon be raised.
In it big cats and Indian elephants
were to perform and to be praised
for being well trained and elegant.

The circus travelled to every town
and entertained the entire nation;
with horse riders and jocular clowns
it held for me a great fascination.

I seem to recall that there was a row
after concerns for the animals’ welfare.
The result of which is that now
the nouveau cirque of beasts is bare.

© Luigi Pagano