“Swoop” (Chagall Clown)
The Circus With the Yellow Clown, 1967, Marc Chagall
Swoop
Some have the trick of swoop; they loop-de-loop
into love; even their arc of catching/being caught trapezes, their leaping
release of grip an elegant show, their hold never easing
over their own sweet selves.
Others fall hard–like clowns–flat
on their prat, splat–
no matter their particular grace, they ace
bumble; fumbling humbly with their offer
of all they are. (All–
when less might be
more.)
Their swoop occurs in
eyelash–the blink, the wish, the
vow–the wobble
of heartbeat.
And when they leap–the clownish–
their untethered arc ends in an
ignominious tub–too much splash
for tears, too little
to be blue.
(He loved her–it was as simple
and hopeless as that.)
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The above is my offering for The Mag – a blog hosted by Tess Kincaid. Tess puts up an image each week as a writing prompt. Check it out.
And while you are checking things, take a look at my books! Children’s counting book 1 Mississippi -for lovers of rivers, light and pachyderms. Or, if you in the mood for something older, check out Going on Somewhere, poetry, and Nose Dive, escapist fluff.
Explore posts in the same categories: poetry, UncategorizedTags: Chagall Clown poem, Clown/Acrobat poem, he loved her, Mag 118, manicddaily, Narcissist v. clown poem, Swoop, The Loop-de- Loop of love
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ManicDDaily 
May 23, 2012 at 6:27 pm
A very Chagall like poem, drawn in warm primary colors and simple, eloquent shapes–also seems to use a bit of your idea of professional jargon in the circus talk…some really do have that swoop thing down–I don’t think you can learn it, I think it’s a gift. Last lines really bring it all together. Nice one, k.
May 23, 2012 at 8:44 pm
Hi Hedge – I realize that my punctuation was terrible! Fixed some things now. I have my mom staying with at the moment–almost 90 – so when I come home from work, am a bit distracted! It’s all good, but hard to keep attention to commas and dashes. k.
May 23, 2012 at 8:06 pm
Heart wearming poetic treatment of love, Trouvere
May 23, 2012 at 8:41 pm
Thanks, K. k.
May 24, 2012 at 5:52 am
I have to agree with hedgewitch: there is something decidedly Chagall-like about this verse. His flights between reality and dream. Excellent accompaniment.
May 24, 2012 at 8:57 am
“he loved her it was simple and hopeless like that” wow mazing1
May 24, 2012 at 8:58 am
really great piece k….there is a lot of movement in your words…love the contrast you create in the two kinds of people that goes well beyond the circus you know but to the three rings of life…smiles..
May 24, 2012 at 12:44 pm
Thanks, Brian. k
May 24, 2012 at 11:19 am
a beautiful play with words on the hopeless, clown-like nature of falling in love.
May 24, 2012 at 1:19 pm
Oh! As simple and hopeless as that. A superb ending for a delightful piece!
May 24, 2012 at 1:28 pm
Thanks. k.
May 24, 2012 at 1:50 pm
Lovely stuff k – a joy to read.
Anna :o]
May 24, 2012 at 2:07 pm
Thanks so much, Anna.
May 25, 2012 at 2:34 pm
There are swooopers…and there are splatters…I fear I’m the latter…
May 25, 2012 at 2:46 pm
Me too – a very good summary.
And then there are splatters on their pratters! Ha. k.
May 25, 2012 at 6:16 pm
Really enjoyed this one K! Lots of movement in your words that keep the eye and mouth excited. “swoop; they loop-de-loop
into love” is really great to say, lovely bit of assonance going on there! 😀
May 25, 2012 at 7:00 pm
Thanks so much, Eve. K.
May 26, 2012 at 5:55 pm
i really like this:
Their swoop occurs in
eyelash–the blink, the wish, the
vow–the wobble
of heartbeat.