Cochran Legacy (I Remember The Cochran Circus)

Blackie

Moon is my horse
We have another named Blackie
They galloped next to each other in the ring
Dad standing in the center before my cue

James ran out with me
The girls were right there I could see
Making sure Whisper was where he needed to be
Then up in the hoop were Virgo and Valorey

Someone screamed and spooked Keir as James pulled me off the horse
My Father and Mother came to our side quickly of course
A fireball rippled up the canvas wall
Stuff dripped from above as the wax and gasoline fed the fireball

Screams echoed and we all cried out
Whisper whined with Blackie and Moon amidst the shouts
Someone grabbed Moon and James grabbed Whisper-Keir
Blackie's eyes were filled more vastly with fear

"MADISON!" Mommy and Daddy called holding me close by
Daddy carried me out with Mommy under his other arms as flames rose high
I saw Blackie's eyes go wide
I was hot and I cried

"Black! Black! Easy! Come on girl, easy. Whoa Black!"
James and Henry tried to calm her as hot embers fell on her back
I cried out, but could no longer see
I was terrified and cried: "BLACKIE!"

A loud noise and we moved away
But a wrong move and we wouldn't stay
"Mommy! Daddy! I can't breathe! It's hot!"
My head was a blur of fear and Mommy held me tight on the lot

Daddy was trying to get us to safety but the smoke was thick
The soot flew around and on my red pants it would forever stick
Sirens came, but still never close enough tonight
I then stood holding their hands but people were pushing left and right

Before they had a chance to pick me up
Between crowds, we got stuck
Mommy disappeared like a coin in the water
Soon the people too, pushed Marcus away from their daughter
They pushed us away with grins on their face
And then the tent collapsed and of Blackie there was no trace

"Mommy!" I shouted and cried
"Madison! Elizabeth!" Daddy tried
A horse's scream and a toddler's yell
They shielded me from the War and things like this hell

I lost sight of Daddy and then thought he was near
But screaming and the poles and ropes collapsing were all I could hear
A Father's cry of agony
And a Mother's shout in pain during a planned tragedy

"MADISON!" I heard but didn't see
The Carnegie I saw tonight and me
I was just older than three
When I saw Daddy again fall down on his knees

That riser fell as arms grabbed me with such force and pain
Amidst the chaos, he dropped his cane
The sky was black as the gray mixed with clouds
And it cast over our home a spiteful shroud

A Carnival Of Light
Burned out and died with my horse that night
The Cochran's lost a fight
And I was snatched away
They made our legacy and family pay

I struggled to break free from the red-haired man's grasp
Suddenly my arm began bruising fast
"Shut up!" He yelled shaking me
"Go that way, Dusty!" She shouted hitting my knee

"Stop moving you Idiot!"
I moved again and heard: "You little shit!"
I had never heard those words from Mommy or Daddy
But the dusty-haired man hit me and squeezed me as I wondered why they hadn't called me 'Maddie'