ringling brother
he positions himself with very specific calculus
along a street that edges the fairgrounds,
and coaxes the moon—full of itself tonight,
and ever up for a chance to shine—
to roll across the taut line
of a telephone cable, while he,
the ticket-taker with tight-wire dreams,
glides along in tandem on a grass verge, eyes steady.
man and moon
moon and man
moving in near-perfect synchrony—
faltering
only once—
for the duration of their brilliant performance,
no net to catch them.
—dotty seiter
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2 x 2″; watercolor and ink on paper
inchie landscape
2026
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Notes about poem and painting:
• “ringling brother” is another poem inspired by a predawn walk, this one lit by a not-yet-set full moon.
• The creative act of painting often has a bit of a tight-wire dream in it for me—I go in with Eyes Steady and see what takes place!
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