I was there for the suffering of a clown,

watched too closely at the hosing down.

Never saw the tears washed away

but the laughter was there

just like today.

With my threadbare bag of tricks

clutched a little too tight

I like to amuse, I need to do it

on many a lonely night.

I queued for normality many a time

but never quite reached that open door,

so just like Chaplin I trotted off

with hollow eyes and hollow skull

and then came back for more.