Tempting (Notevember 2022, #25)

Ugh, mimes
The perfect metaphor, aren’t they?
Pushing against invisible things
Conjuring obstacles for themselves out of thin air
Trying to fit into made-up boxes
And heaving against entirely imaginary restrictions
Desperate for our attention
And, they hope, our approval
Reminding us
That even though it’s all in their head
The struggle is real
And plain for all to see

Oh no, clowns
Slipping and tripping and falling and hurting
To coax a laugh out of us
Giving out schadenfreude permits
Guilt not included
Letting us laugh at misery
That might otherwise leave us in tears

Or maybe I’m just overthinking it
And now I’ve said it out loud
I feel like I’m left with egg on my face
But, with a bit of luck
It’ll just be meringue