no shilling
shall be spent
to go to
the street circus
we already lack
the wherewithal
to defray the cost
for bean soup
tattered clothing
from scraps of
old linen are
our covering
no shilling
shall be spent
to go to
the street circus
but, for i so wish
to just experience
the laughter lines
that cross faces
to walk around
the cobbled stone roads
with bright fairy lights
and twinkling stars
to get a tiny, palm
sized, 5 pence treat
to enjoy independently
to savor slowly
to forget about
the troubles
of man, of woman,
of life
to be a small child
at the town carnival
for one lonesome,
beautiful, dark, night
but i can not
let my mind
go on any
further, for
no shilling
shall be spent
to go to
the street circus
