https://images.hive.blog/DQmdPM4EUyH2iEmqyPwHsfCMnnhfXM1NH4ig73F4GmWzMJV/circus-4721247_1280.jpg
[Pixabay](https://pixabay.com/photos/search/clown/)
A clown's frown is the world's contradiction.
Painted joy smudged by sorrow,
The red nose droops beneath creased brows.
It's laughter choked midair, balloons deflated in a corner,
and a circus tent full of silence louder than any cheer.
He's the one who's supposed to make you smile,
supposed to tumble, twist, and trip just to get a laugh.
But today, something feels different. His footsteps are heavier.
His juggling is slow, as though he were throwing weights rather than balls.
Even his rainbow wig appears dull beneath the lights.
Kids whisper to their parents,
"Why Does the Clown Look Sad? "
But no one responds because they are unaware.
How do you account for the fact that even happiness has weight?
That behind every pratfall is a man attempting not to fall apart.
The clown's frown tells a narrative that no one wants to hear.
It's backstage silence and missed phone calls.
Tears are wiped away with white gloves.
He conceals it with cosmetics.
but emotions leak through the gaps.
There's no crowd loud enough to drown out his mind.
The show goes on, but inside him,
The curtain fell a long time ago.
Perhaps the frown is a sign of defiance—
a refusal to perform today.
Perhaps it is true.
ugly and bare, smeared over painted cheeks.
Because even clowns have terrible days.
Even joybringers can break.
So, when the lights dim and the children leave,
He sits in front of the mirror,
Removing the colors one swipe at a time.
And what's left behind isn't a joke or a punchline.
but a guy with weary eyes—
a frown on clown,
and a silence rich with meaning.