Saturday Market, a City street,
A sad balloon-clown I did meet.
My little girl asked for a hat,
He shaped balloons there as he sat.
He told the tale with invisible tears,
Told me of his balloon twistin' years.
A "Partner-in-Clown" he said he once had,
He lost her in March, and that's why he's sad.
I Could almost feel his broken heart,
Each of them had performed a part.
To people 'round them, they brought smiles,
Together, they'd gone many miles.
These two together with the cat,
He tells me they made quite an act.
He shaped balloons for children's fun,
She painted faces one by one.
The silly cat there with red mane,
Joy and giggles he obtained...
The sad clown showed me photographs,
Most with smiles, a lot with laughs!
Saw her look children in the eye,
Paint their faces, wave goodbye!
Her shiny clown-suit was so cute,
She had big orange hair to boot.
She was happy, you could tell,
She did what she loved so well.
The cat liked children, and all laps,
Didn't take many cat-naps...
The color photos he showed me,
Were of his happy family.
The sad clown sparkled in his eye,
His hand twists, a balloon to tie,
She passed on, March of 2003,
His Partner-in-Clown, she was lovely.
He must now do his act alone,
Where is the cat? It's unknown.
He smiled and said he's here for fun,
As he handed the hat to my little one.
I gave him tips that he was due,
And left him, saying, "God Bless you!"
Half-block away, I turned around,
To look back on the sad balloon-clown.
There with his cart, nodding his head,
To all who came by, "Hello, there!" he said.
I'll not soon forget this clown,
On that day in the city, walking around.
