Analysis of The Little Clown

Barbara A Cadogan 1944 (Barbados)



I remember when
The circus came to town.
A little lass was I back then,
I had never seen a clown.

He seemed a bright and cheerful boy;
A master of disguise,
But underneath this layer of joy
There was sadness in his eyes.

He mimed and mimicked
To those around,
Skipped merrily and frolicked,
But uttered not a sound.

The people jeered and they did ask
If he was just a homeless bum.
No response he made, alas!
He was both deaf and dumb.

I still remember well today,
The cruel words they muttered,
But he went merrily on his way
And not a word he uttered.

How couldn’t they see
His dreams were shattered,
When all he wanted to be
Was a funny face that mattered.


Scheme ABAB CDCD EFEF XGXG HIHI JIJI
Poetic Form Quatrain 
Metre 10101 010111 01011111 1110101 11010101 010101 10111011 1110011 11010 1101 110001 110101 01010111 11110101 1011101 111101 11010101 0101110 111100111 0101110 1111 11010 1111011 10101110
Closest metre Iambic trimeter
Characters 684
Words 156
Sentences 10
Stanzas 6
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4
Lines Amount 24
Letters per line (avg) 21
Words per line (avg) 5
Letters per stanza (avg) 86
Words per stanza (avg) 21

About this poem

This poem is a memory of an experience I had as a kid . It invokes a sense of sadness when we are often judged by others who do not really know us but are influenced in their judgment by outward appearances.

Font size:
 

Written on June 27, 2023

Submitted by BACH54 on June 27, 2023

46 sec read
50

Barbara A Cadogan

I am a retired Registered Nurse living in St. Augustine, Florida. I started writing poetry at age 18 years. I have been a member of Poetry organizations such as The World of Poetry and Poetry. Com. Participating at annual conventions I enjoy writing in various styles and on different topics. I love poetry that is light and filled with humor. more…

All Barbara A Cadogan poems | Barbara A Cadogan Books

0 fans

Discuss this Barbara A Cadogan poem analysis with the community:

0 Comments

    Citation

    Use the citation below to add this poem analysis to your bibliography:

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "The Little Clown" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 5 Jun 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/163961/the-little-clown>.

    Become a member!

    Join our community of poets and poetry lovers to share your work and offer feedback and encouragement to writers all over the world!

    June 2024

    Poetry Contest

    Join our monthly contest for an opportunity to win cash prizes and attain global acclaim for your talent.
    25
    days
    9
    hours
    11
    minutes

    Special Program

    Earn Rewards!

    Unlock exciting rewards such as a free mug and free contest pass by commenting on fellow members' poems today!

    Browse Poetry.com

    Quiz

    Are you a poetry master?

    »
    From Ralph Waldo Emerson’s The Test, “Sunshine cannot _____ the snow, Nor time unmake what poets know.
    A bleach
    B leach
    C reach
    D beseech