Here's one I prepared earlier:
The Carnival
Prologue
The air is thick with smells and squeals
Of food and kids and Ferris wheels
There are spruikers, dodgems, chips and stalls
Ghost trains, drinks and mirrored halls.
Gypsies who can read your mind
And snake oil vendors, of the finest kind.
From the outside, you can sense excitement
Oozing from every stall and bright tent.
Spruiker
Come in, come in, you wont regret it!
Life will depress you, if you let it,
Look! Over there, performing fleas!
Children
Oh Daddy, Daddy, can we please?
Father
Escape from life, leave the gloom behind?
Come kids, let’s go see what we can find!
But we must be away by ten, at latest.
Children
Yea for Daddy! You are the greatest!
Gypsy
Good Sir, let me read your palms
Preacher
Your end is written in the Psalms!
Vendor
Get some donuts while they’re hot!
Or perhaps a beer would hit the spot?
Father
A beer and two donuts, the hot jam ones.
And a sausage in one of those long buns.
Actually, I think I’ll have a second beer.
Clown
Balloons, balloons, get your balloons here!
Here kids, let me twist it into a hat
Or would you prefer a dog or a cat?
Woman
Hello, big boy, how can I please you?
Come to my tent and let me squeeze you!
Don’t worry, Bruno, here, will mind the brats!
Father
No, thanks. Hey kids, look! Dancing rats!
Children
Oh yuck! That’s vile. How truly gross.
Dad! Dad! Don’t get so close!
Oh, Dad! Can we go on that spinning ride?
Father
Will you keep your food inside?
I well remember the last time, honey;
Dinner was a waste of money.
Vendor
Hey, show your kids you are a man!
Make the bell ring—if you can!
Children
Go Dad go! Give it a good whack, not a token!
Oh—never mind, it’s probably broken.
Father
Oh look, it’s late, the time has flown,
One last ride then we must head home.
Or would you like to try out the guns?
Children
It’s not fair, we are having fun!
We want to stay until we win a hat.
Gypsy
I knew they were going to tell you that.
Children are the great negotiators!
Preacher
Repent now, prepare to meet your maker!
Father
Come kids, you didn’t listen to what I said,
It’s time I got you home to bed.
Epilogue.
The last folk leave, the night is late,
The spruiker shuts and locks the gate
The stoves are cold, they’ve cut the lights
The music’s gone and the place is quiet
The make-up’s off, the splendor shed
A drink is opened, a paper’s read.
In the caravans around the site
Ordinary people embrace the night.
.
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© 2012 J Cosmo Newbery
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