As Ever Like the Sun & Moon at War

5- ☼☼ ☼☼

 The first of things to do when setting up

a carnival's survey the land on which

the tents will go outside a city's walls,

for most do not possess a flatten'd square

as th'one they left just yesterday did have,

so Master and math'matic'lly inclin'd

performers carry on with measurements

whilst th'others get to work with laying out

the larger tents—which first are measur'd for—

but don't erect them yet lest there's a change                10

of plan due possibly to th'unforeseen,

which likely will occur—and doth—because

of hills around which they must set their tents,

requiring in these moments for the hides

affected by decisions of terrain

to be uprooted by a team of men

and carried carefully toward the next

of destinations that's been mark'd for them.

Eventu'lly, however, all is set

and ev'ry tent and stand is now allow'd                20

for pulling from the wagons to their spots,

and once this all is happening there comes

command from Master for our Pilgrim, Spouse,

performers who're nearby and Tamer too

to roll the animals toward a point

accessible for all the larger tents

in which th'exotic shows which need the beasts

will happen, for they are the shows' most main

attractions. But when group is gather'd round

they find the Tamer missing from the crowd.                30

The master clicks his tongue and says to this:

"That's odd. I thought I saw him earlier

this morn aback the caravan, but now

I think of it, I haven't seen him set

the carnival with us today. But bah,

it matters not; my tolerance is gone

for him, and anyway, I have no need

of him with tamer new t'replace the fool.

Now all of ye go on without the man,

and if you come across the imbecile,                40

you send the boy to me to have some words.

No longer will I bear incompetence."

The band is sent along the road toward

the cages housing th'animals inside.

Our Pilgrim turns to Spouse along the way

and says: "A shame about the Tamer. He

had such an occupation int'resting;

I gladly would've taken this in youth