National Adult Literacy Database

September 28, 1998

This week, we have a poem written by Marianne Petrone, from Toronto, Ontario. Marianne is involved in the Women's Group of the Beat the Street Program, a division of Frontier College.

The Circle of the Clowns

by Marianne Petrone

We all know there are certain clowns we know
We all know how many, and we already
know how funny, so how many, so how funny.
So does that circle stop, can it, did it, will it.
So does that circle crop, does that circle, circle.

Clowns never win, they never loose and
look out for how far, because that's the way they are.
How funny, how far, are clowns how funny clowns are.
Clowns are forever successful for what they do.
Clowns are forever happy like me and you.

Do clowns do better, than me, you, or you.
Or do clowns do better than you, you, and I.
Clowns are always some how funny, clowns,
do, do better, than you, you and I.
Clowns even clown around, clown around.

Clowns are so curious, they even show us why.
Clowns keep us curious and, and at what, who knows why.
Clowns keep us living in ther own profound way.
Clowns have even been known to save the day.
Clowns will forever be like you and me.

[This poem was taken with permission, from a collection of stories written by adult learners in the Beat the Street Program, entitled Heart Beats, p. 16.]