'Carnival Of Guilt'

I was greeted well

enough at the door,

handing my ticket to the clown.

I saw attractions by the score,

still, none seemed

to slow me down.

I heard laughter

all around me,

yet, I felt a silent jeer.

No, it didn't take me

long to see I was

not welcome here.

Heads were turning,

eyes were burning.

Suddenly all laughs

were gone.

Only silent glares

and my stomach churning

my repulsed fear

pushed me on.

I walked faster,

yet so did they.

What this horde wanted,

I didn't know.

Running to the nearest

door on my way,

I found myself at

 "The Freak Show".

Sneaking backstage,

in hopes to hide,

I saw a two-headed man

in a fight against himself,

each head taking a side,

and neither side was right.

Both looked at me,

without words being said,

each pointing their

given hand to a door,

smiling as if somehow

my thoughts they read.

They knew what

I was here for.

Walking inside

with what I saw

Thought, defunct,

my human eyes.

Though inside I was

struck with awe,

I tried not

to show surprise.

A four-legged woman

walking with a man

who had no legs at all,

Living, loving,

laughing and talking.

As if he stood ten feet tall.

A bearded lady singing,

soft in tone,

to a man with two noses,

so skinny he looked

made of bone.

In the mirror,

practicing poses.

I stood  amazed,

at the shapes he took

as my misdirected

thoughts ran.

It seemed he could

make himself to look

like anything but

a "normal" man.

As if sensing my

questioning mind,

a boy approached

beginning to speak.

Saying, "Stay, safely,

here awhile, you will find

the answers that you seek."

I looked down seeing

each arm without a hand

but pincers like a

lobster instead.

He said, "There's things

the world won't

understand,

that can be grasped

here, full-fled."

He gestured to a

snake-skinned man,

and said, "Beauty truly is

in the eye, viewed by

the world, a charlatan,

won't you give the

magic mirror a try."

So I stepped over

and took my view,

behold a man without a face.

It was suddenly so clear,

I knew I had finally

found my place.

And every night people

stop to just stare

and maybe we raise

their self esteem.

Some people pity us

thinking it's not fair,

some think we're just

here to scheme.

But I recall the other side,

I know what leads you

to jeer and jolt,

and what you see as

"The Freak Show"

is just your carnival of guilt. . . .