the Fair’s in town.
games of chance
with worse odds than the lottery
or the government helping the poor.
                                   
carnies set up rides
for unsuspecting children
booze tucked in discolored underwear
slowly creeping up their ass
like transient refrigerator repairmen.

Tucker- whose last steady job was in prison making license plates.
Pinky-who knocked up a 16 year old at the Des Moines Fair.
Big Town-whose head is so fried from bad acid
 it looks worse than the greasy powdered waffles at the Fair.
No Name- with teeth like brown corn,
and a frightening laugh when his ride is stuck and children scream.

only the men visiting with their families
are more terrifying.                                     
men who beat up their wives in the privacy
of their air conditioned home.
men who talk to sports talk show hosts
more than to their teen age daughters.
men who attend church every Sunday
and hate Blacks and Gays
with the same passion.
                      
men who go to the freak show
and laugh at the multi-headed man,
     never realizing
they are the true freaks of America.