Popcorn Dave and the Butter Girls

Popcorn Dave and the Butter Girls

put on their best show ever.

There were kick lines and fireworks,

flaming hoops jumped through.

Aerobatics and aerobics,

throwing knives and juggling.

Popcorn Dave was in his best

red and white striped suit.

The Butter Girls were flashy in

their skimpy gold lame.

The children oooh-ed,

their parents aahhed.

The tent was alive with action

and death defying thrills.

There were songs, jokes, stories,

bittersweet vignettes and applause.

Popcorn Dave and the Butter Girls

Amazing Extravaganza of Daring-Do!

It was the talk of the town, they were in

the paper, they were in the Church bulletin.

 The last act, Popcorn Dave’s leap from

a flaming tower into a small pool, ringed with fire.

He tipped his red and white stove pipe hat to

the Calliope player and winked at the Butter Girls.

The drums fell silent, the crowd held their breath,

Popcorn Dave, in his signature act, jumped off the tower.

Through the air he spun, tumbled and rolled,

he crouched and twisted in fabulous ways.

The air was thick with terrific anticipation,

a Butter Girl looked away, the lovely Delilah.

The pool was in focus, Popcorn Dave straightened

out, perfect form, perfect shape, a bullet of skill.

Barely a splash as Popcorn Dave hit the pool,

he rose from the water with a sparkler clamped in his teeth.

The tent went wild, the ground shook with cheers,

the Butter Girls danced, Popcorn Dave took his bows.

The finale overture played as the players, jugglers,

The Flying Zimpani’s and Bogo the Bumbler bowed.

The audience, so in love for the moment, began to

trickle out and silence crept in to the once loud tent.

Popcorn Dave now in his red and white striped robe,

stood near Delilah, whom he always loved.

“This is my last show my dear,” said Popcorn Dave.

“I know my sweet,” said Delilah, “I know.”

She kissed his graying head and squeezed his old hand,

he smiled as a tear ran down his wrinkled cheek.

The bright lights in the tent went out.