The Funny Man Poem by Justin Fitzpatrick

I knew a man who joked at every turn
Who’s life was one big play
With multiple costumes

He played a wisecracker
A slapstick’r, a joker
A friend
He played a thousand roles
So not to look inward again

He would make fun of you in a crowd
Be obscene when he could
If he was going to get a chuckle
Then he did not care if you misunderstood

He did not care if he was rude
Or make you pathetic in every way
It would all be on you
And no one would ponder about him for another day

If you could see a man behind his shield
Behind the costumes
Behind his facade

If you could see a man for what he is worth
And not what he spiels
Realize what he throws out there
Is not truly what he feels

If you could hear beyond the laughter
Beyond the quips
Beyond the retorts
If you could hear beyond it all
And listen to what is truly there

You will find no jeer
Or cackling of any sort
No giggling
Or remarks that end up to hurt

You will find
A huddled man
Hands covering his eyes
Hiding himself from the world
Because he is dead inside

There is no joy
In knowing one who goofs around all the time
And it is painful to know
How truly they are blind