[ give him your ticket, ]

give him your ticket,
smiling,
nervous,
sweaty.
sit on
sticky seats
people shout and scream
exited,
food flying from their mouths
flesh jiggling grotesquely
THE MAN walks in
center ring
HE raises HIS hands to
HIS subjects
you squint down
and a lion
runs out
and swallows
HIM
whole
you scream
of course
but everyone cheers,
drinks and fat hitting your face
three legged clowns
and Siamese acrobats
twirl,
screeching laughter
faces white red and black.
you get up
LEAVE LEAVE
but you are caught
by the carnival.
They take people,
sacrifices,
from the stands
you slouch in your seat,
INVISIBLE, you are desperate
but they take a big
Fat
man and
put him to the stake
he burns, screaming.
STOP!
you scream,
STOP THEM!
but the clowns
wheeling,
squealing,
seeing
the horror
laugh and
eat him.
You cower,
crying
screaming,
as people start falling
from the ceiling
swirling colors,
impossible twists
and guts flying out into
the audience
coating you with
fat man innards.
you are caught
by
the
carnival