Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, CLOWNS' DAY, by RICHARD EUGENE BURTON


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

CLOWNS' DAY, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Brother fools from everywhere
Last Line: Let us use it soberly.
Subject(s): Clowns; Death; Humorists; Jesters; Life; Love; Sin; Dead, The


BROTHER fools from everywhere,
Let us gather and grow wise.
Ours the day, so let us dare
Show the world our sober guise.

We must mum it through the year,
Hide behind the painted grin;
Let us be more human here,
Men of memories, men of sin.

Life's no jest, we know it well;
Care lurks close behind the scene.
Heaven's not half so sure as hell
For a clown whose purse is lean.

Ours to make the simple laugh,
Ours to give the sad surcease;
This our only epitaph:
"Here the jester is at peace."

God above! We merry men
Smile and caper up and down,
Sing our foolish catches, when
Death looks sweet to many a clown.

We are fain to weep and love,
Pray, and think of mighty things;
Turn our dreamy gaze above,
Mount to visions, float on wings.

Twenty raptures may go by
Just outside the big white tent;
We would taste them ere we die,
Since for this our life was lent.

We must pace the little ring;
Yet Life has her golden goals
For us all, to that we cling;
Clowns are we, -- but living souls!

Lads in motley, brothers dear,
Gather now and hark to me:
April Fools, our day, is here;
Let us use it soberly.





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