The Jester

A little poem that speaks of broader societal issues and the answer to resolve them.

The Jester 

By

Carlos Lorenzo Estrada 

"The worst sin toward our fellow creatures is not to hate them, but to be indifferent to them: that's the essence of inhumanity." - George Bernard Shaw

God appeared in fool's attire 

Preformed a play of harsh satire

Before the King and crowd 

A huddled mass to disavow 

The jester played to court

Mime and gesture in contort 

He danced in silence before the realm

In painted face of ashen elm

In pantomime and grace sublime

He moved through world to capture time

A fool whose painted with a frown 

In pantaloons of ghostly clown

What sadness plucked to heart's travail 

A joker's angst would soon prevail 

What wickedness did he see

Beyond the veil of company

The Queen in guilty face

Looked away in sharp disgrace

For in the dance she saw

The wretchedness of us all

In angered rage gave King command 

His soldiers smite this hapless man

And there before the throng

God was slain at end of song

What lessons are we to learn

When one is silenced and truth is spurned 

Speak and oppose inequity 

For silence is concession to iniquity.

Author's Note

A quick little parable of poetry written as my muse was sleeping and talking in her sleep. Sometimes she holds out on me with some of the good profound art. It's like trying to lay a trap for a real sneaky smart mouse. Only to find out later I was the mouse all along and not a smart one either. Can't sneak anything passed a woman. They truly are smarter than men. Oh, she's waking up gotta go. Feel free to leave thoughts or comments. Thank you all.

Reviews

[Betty Hermelee]

It seems the jester is not happy as the king a queen frown upon him…poor jester, he’s just trying…but not happy about what transpired. He feels unequal and is distressed about this. I like the structure of the poem and also the rhyme……your muse is very smart…..
Best,
B.

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you B for sharing your thoughts on this poem. I have always been intrigued by the historical figure of the Jester. To me it represents hidden or secretive knowledge and wisdom which is subtle revealed by its mirthful foolish actions. It is a very mysterious and wise archetype to me. It was fun finally being able to utilize this character in writing, and especially making it God which added to the poem's powerful messages. I wouldn't mind using the character again in a future work because as a symbol it's very strong. Thank you again B I really appreciate it.

[Betty Hermelee]

You’re very welcome Carlos!
Best B.

[Patricia]

this little jester is very entertaining and it was very is enjoyable to picture. I love the format and rhyming which I never do anymore, well I do it but don't share it but it's always so such a joy to read it from someone else and the content is imaginative and well executed like a pro, that's not to say you are not a pro just a figure of speech. great work here

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you Patricia I appreciate the kind comment on this poem. This write was a lot of fun to structure and put together because it has a few messages in it. The jester to me has always been an intriguing archetype character throughout history in writing. To me it represents hidden knowledge revealed in secret or puzzle or riddle. Making God the Jester in this poem gave it a bit more punch and strength in the themes. I really am glad you enjoyed this poem and I truly appreciate the comment. Thank you so much.

[Cyprian Van Dyke]

I read this twice. There is a lot going on in this narrative. I think it is well penned in short stanzas that speak volumes. I'm a bit tired, I don't understand everything. But the rhythm made it fun to read. Tyfs

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you Cyprian for your thoughts. And you are absolutely correct there are a few themes this poem touches upon. It is the reason why I had so much fun writing it. Thank you again.

[Haley]

What an interesting and fun take on the Jester. It was a great read with great rhyme and looking forward to reading more of your work!

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you Haley for the kind words I really appreciate it. Just to let you know I am manic depressive so most of my work can be a bit eclectic to put it nicely. But thank you again for reading this piece that I had fun writing.

[Haley]

It's always good to have a broad body of work! I am the same and often times the stories match the episode. Really good work on this though!

[Dave Brown]

A typically excellent write, your muse has been a wonderful influence
I don't think I have seen the Jester used anywhere else and this portrayal is perfect!
The perfectly painted picture

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Humor and irony in art are such divine qualities to have or attain. They make simple parables relatable on a human level while speaking on deeper issues in social commentary. You have a talent of wit my friend in the art that you create. I have a bit of envy for those that can tell a funny story that has a powerful message behind it. The jester to me as an archetype represents knowledge and wisdom that is secretly shared through wit and humor. Or for those of spiritual mind God's joke. This poem I admit has multiple layers to it by intention. It was an enjoyable experience to write because of the themes it touched upon. Thank you again Dave for your thoughts on this poem. I really appreciate it.

[JE Falcon]

Yes, what Pete said, and more. Took my breath away.

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you JE for your kind assessment on this poem. I feel gratitude that the message of this poem has resonated with the community. Writing this piece took me on a journey and had me asking if I have spoken out against the injustices in the world enough. I never want to feel the burden of my silence giving compliance to any vile actions or reprehensible ideology in the world. Thank you so much for taking the time to read and comment on this work. I truly appreciate it.

[Dylan Macadham]

God as Jester! Clever! Funny! Sad!
Wretched Man kills God, and thus kills Hope, a remarkably inspired theme,
Bravo, Carlos!

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you Dylan for your comment on this poem. It truly reflects the world we live in unfortunately. Gandhi, MLK Jr, and many other voices silenced for telling the truth and protesting peacefully in a non violent way. They larger themes of this poem truly mirror humanity at its worst. People in power will always find a way to silence voices that speak out against them. To stay silent is to allow their evil behavior to continue and to in essence be in agreement with it. Indifference destroys freedom, truth, and in the end our own humanity towards one another. Thank you again my friend for sharing your thoughts. I really appreciate it.

[Fran Marie]

A most profound and cleverly penned
piece . sinners never see the light
do not want to face their own truth
as the jester portrays their vices
Love the rhyming and rhythmic beat
flowed so smoothly while reading
I wanted to sing it..nice work Carlos

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you Fran for your comment on this poem. It can be a bit of a challenge when penning a piece of social commentary. Especially in poetic format. Sometimes it doesn't always land or meet expectations, but this one for me felt as well or as good as I could get for its theme. I so believe in its overall message and was happy with the final results. Thank you again for sharing your thoughts on this poem I really appreciate it.

[Pete]

wow. simply terrific. clever, creative, deep and poignantly telling. we are all in need of salvation and it's no laughing matter ... :)

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you Pete for your thoughts on this poem. This was such an enjoyable piece to write and I'm glad it is resonating with others. Thank you again my friend.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

fantastic piece here...reminds me of the Joan Osborne song..."what if God was one of us, a slob like one of us"----very creative piece...14th line I read as "joker's"----Good stuff, Carlos.

j.

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you J for your insightful thoughts on this poem, and also your better eyes. I had fun writing this piece because of the symbolism and message. Also, I remember and enjoyed that song when I first heard it. This piece may be a bit controversial but that is the beauty of writing. To challenge the mind and morality of the reader and pose questions of them they may not always ask of themselves. Contrary to belief I can only write so many love or nature poems before I go mad from both. Thank you so much again J for the nice comment it really means a lot to me, my friend.