Sad Clowns

There, on a pier at the ocean

Where families paraded and ate sweet treats 

Daily walked a sad clown

both forearms parallel to earth 

one empty palm up begging alms

the other laden 

with a teacup poodle

also in sad clown paint

seated legs a dangle

upon his fist

when queried how the pup learned to balance so

his rejoinder was that his thumb was up

but not to fear it was nothing untoward

then why one might ask

the firmness in the slacks