Clowns in a Circus

The circus came to town

I could see the posters of acrobats and hippos and giant wheels

On shaky ancient auto-rikshaws

Driven by incorrigibly happy

Poor people.

For some years now, I have felt like the joker 

Looking at a gallery full of fools

Wanting to believe

That what they see

And live

Is not sheer drudgery 

But liquid entertainment. 

I think Joaquin Phoenix fucked my world view

Forever. 

And before that, there was the Matrix

Or even, Joseph Heller

Or maybe it was

Gabriel Garcia Marquez 

Or even

The Bhagwan who declared

In his infinite wisdom

That the infinity of our souls 

And the divinity of our beings

Are sullen

By the circus 

Of life.