Laugh Clown… Laugh

In honor of Robin Williams - 18 Augus 2014

Laugh clown… laugh

Delivered the joke, smiled through torment…

On humor’s wings your malady was bent.

You shared with all your gift of the jape,

For our maudlin hearts a moment’s escape.

A manic laugh ‘pon your face fights,

We raised you up to astonishing heights.

Laughing… laughing… laughing… laugh

From the depth of melancholy in your eyes,

Take flight now before us… ever higher you’ll rise.

Made us laugh ’til we did cry apiece…

Precarious… you teetered ‘pon the precipice.

Played out your suffering ‘pon the stage,

Lights… camera… the pedestal… your cage.

Cry out loud… make jest of your pain

For you ever inspired, gave hope from your fragility, 

Shined so brightly for all your frolicking jocularity, 

Behind the door… in the dark… burned out alone.

Did we ever see if a smile from your eyes shone.

Always easing our lonely malady,

You made the joke from your own tragedy.

The lonely clown… living to entertain

Reveling in your hilarity taken for granted,

Your warmth… your joy… we were enchanted.

Left none to ease your heart so dolorous,

To deliver joy beyond depression’s curse.

To strive with unending adverse poignancy, 

Gave joy… spread smiles… and tears of hilarity.

Dying… dying…dying to make us laugh

Laughing… laughing… laughing countenance

Hiding behind laughter, your sustenance.

Your soul laid bare… laid bare for the joke,

Poured out… poured out… ’til your heart broke.

Loving the clown to death, we cried,

Cruelest cut the day the laughter died.

Laugh clown… laugh

Laughing… laughing… laughing… laugh

Cry out loud… make jest of your pain

The lonely clown… living to entertain

Dying… dying…dying to make us laugh

by D. Denise Dianaty

Author's Note

I wanted this to be an expression of the sense of gratitude and guilt that his passing left…

Reviews

[Confuser]

Putting this in my library. It's quite beautiful. I am tearful now thinking of him again, so sad. But you're description brought his face to me. I loved him so much like many and we never know, do we, what's behind that smile. Thank you for this.

[MomzillaNC]

Thank you. I'm honored you were touched by my homage to him. The saddest thing of all about him is that we DID know. He told us all the time. We laughed anyway.

[Confuser]

He reminded me of someone special in my life as a child. Thank you.

[MomzillaNC]

Thanks. :D

[Confuser]

Y/w...........................................................

[DIVYA]

This is an awesome tribute to the late artist. Sadly we fail to see the pain behind the smiles...

[MomzillaNC]

Thank you.

[D.L]

Very well written with great rhythm and poetic device. A wonderful, if chilling, tribute to a great figure.

[MomzillaNC]

Thank you.

Chilling? That wasn't what I was feeling when I wrote it; I was trying to convey the sense of gratitude and guilt his passing engendered.

[D.L]

I found it a bit chilling. The fact that we are laughing as he is slowly dying is a harrowing thought. Despite the fact that making us laugh was his passion, the poem read a bit morbid to me. But that's just one person's take on it.

[MomzillaNC]

I see your point of view. Sadly, it seems to have been the truth of his life. And, I've always thought there was something rather vampiric about the concept of celebrity.

[D.L]

That said, it's no secret that Robin Williams' had a passion for making people laugh--and he was damn good at it. I'm not one for mourning celebrities I never knew, but for him I will make an exception. But I do see you point on celebrities, it seems like a....shall we say "stressful?"...lifestyle.

[MomzillaNC]

Subtly stated: "stressful?" lifestyle.

[D.L]

I mean, I can't exactly speak from experience, but to be under constant public eye, constant scrutiny...yeah seems like it may be a little stressful. :P

[MomzillaNC]

That "stressful" lifestyle has hounded more than one person to their grave… perhaps no one more dramatically than Princess Diana. In RW's case, though, I think it felt more a case of him chaining himself to life in our laughter; knowing that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's, maybe he saw that delicate chain breaking. Can you imagine that frenetic genius trapped in a body that denies him the very thing by which he defined himself?

[D.L]

I'm inclined to agree-what you say makes sense. But who's to say? Depression's a strange disease. It doesn't necessarily need reason. "Delicate" is a good word for it, though, I think. In any event, well done with your poem.

[MomzillaNC]

Thank you.

[MomzillaNC]

This one is much better than my first poem about his passing; "Heaven's Comedian" inspired this one.

[Marie]

I wasn't even thinking of RObin WIlliams when i saw the title of this poem, but the old movie with Lon Chaney. But it says a lot about Robin Williams. I'm having a very hard time getting past his death.

[MomzillaNC]

I felt the same. He was was a tremendous blessing in the world. It makes me a little weepy every time I think of him.

[AprilRN1210]

I like the way you showcased the different sides of him.. his pain... his success... his contributions.. his tribulations... this one did flow a lot better... what a lovely, heartfelt, moving tribute.. you can feel your empathy, your admiration, and your sadness... very emotive..

.. can I offer a few suggestions?

"On humor’s wings your malady was bent."..... it flows better if you were to remove the "was"

"You always were easing our lonely malady."... not sure about this one on specific suggestion, except that it felt a little "off".. the rest of the verbs in stanza were -ed past tense... this one kinda just makes you stumble a little bit and feels passive...

really enjoyed this one ma'am... he was all this and more...

"Reveling in your hilarity taken for granted,
Your warmth… your joy… we were enchanted.".... my favorite lines...beautiful!

[MomzillaNC]

The rhythm there should be a stress on "was." It's intended to be read "was-bent"

I tweaked the other line. Thanks.

[AprilRN1210]

gotcha! my pleasure.. I enjoyed:)

[MomzillaNC]

Thanks. Constructivism is always welcome.

[Tricia Pattinson]

A wonderfully written tribute to one of the brightest lights of our time. 100/100

[MomzillaNC]

Thank you so much.

[Pushkar Prabhat]

exceptional just like the person it's about.
i wonder why do most comedians often have the most tragic lives?
"The lonely clown… living to entertain"
i loved it.
:)

[MomzillaNC]

Thank you very much. I hope it conveyed the sense of gratitude and guilt I felt when I learned of his passing.

[Pushkar Prabhat]

it did. you are welcome!
:)

[Randy Johnson]

A great poem about Robin. Very well written. Keep up the good work.

[MomzillaNC]

Thanks. :D

[Rene Salinas]

Really enjoyed this especially the machiavellian moment. It made for an intense reading but very pasionate, not heavy I mean by that. I also noticed the dedications which makes it instantly current and more fervorous as it it a thankyou of sorts.

Who has the last laugh now though?

Thankyou

[MomzillaNC]

Thank you. I hoped it would be an expression of the gratitude and guilt his death left me feeling.

I like to think he's up "There," leaning on the arm of God's chair, making Him roar with laughter and finding his own soul so filled with joy and laughter that it shines blindingly from his so sad, melancholy eyes.

[Rene Salinas]

Completely adhere to your feeling great stuff

[MomzillaNC]

Thank you. I appreciate your commentary too.

[emmajoy]

Your words must capture so many people's feelings.. not merely his fans but those who knew him personally and understood the man hidden behind an extreme humour and within fine acting skills.

There's deep emotion bound with great phrasing and meter here.

[MomzillaNC]

Thank you.

[Dark Heart of Winter]

'You made the joke from your own tragedy.'

I love this line. I love it so much. For this is what we all do as poets and especially those of us who are entertainers and jokesters; we craft our art from our own story; the more painful, the more enthralling to an audience. "We are all just maggots, feeding on the fresh blood of another human;s spilled life. "

[MomzillaNC]

It certainly seems that way. I just wanted to capture the sense of gratitude and guilt his passing engendered.

[Dark Heart of Winter]

You did a good job of that :)

[MomzillaNC]

Thank you.