If you ever see a clown smiling,

ever witness teeth locked tight

beneath makeup about to

drip down those sunken cheeks

on a hazy humid afternoon,

ever look at hollowed out eyes

that move closer and closer

until they’re gazing into your own,

pupils black but alight

with such sweet, slaking violence…

always check and make sure

he’s only carrying a balloon.

C.M. Crockford is a writer living in Philadelphia, PA with their partner and cats. Their second chapbook Mark The Place is out now from ThirtyWest Publishing. Follow them on Twitter @cm_crockford.