Poem: Circus

Recollections,
so many:
refuse bags bulging,
with colourful sugars that,
if dissolved in boiled water and frozen-
it would be quite a treat.

The red car,
slightly rusted-
but loved nonetheless
the rumblings of its' engine-
it pulling up and parking-
under the tree-
to take me away
to the world I'm so excited to feel.
But sometimes I only see the tree,
hear the wind-
blurred howls, drowned by
what I wish were the rain from clouds,
and not my eyes.

A lady,
exquisitely made up-
like a porcelain doll,
sitting atop thick patterned fabric
thrown squarely over an elephant-
a real elephant!
We watch them all-
the circus show,
while I cannot seem to get enough caramelized popcorn
into my mouth;
and they get stuck in my teeth.
Those sea-green eyes
that meet my browns
when I look up-
look up,
a silent 'thank you Daddy'
a 'daddy thank you for bringing me!'
until the sea-green is surrounded by
Red!
and those lips kiss me goodbye
wetly,
reeking of whiskey.

The princess,
swirling
in my jewelry box.
'You can be a ballerina, too!'
I believe,
because when you're the apple
in Daddy's eye!-
you can be anything-
Anything!

Like heartbroken...