30 Day Picture Prompt Challenge

Hocus Pocus

I am the King of Magicians, I am nobody’s fool.
Blood of Houdini and Crandon not diluted by time
but strengthened by artistry and skill.

King of the Cons, foolish one,
You feed on the blood of the unwary,
feast on the trustful soul.

I am the Master of Illusions,
I will fool you, making you blind
to what you think you see.

Master of delusion, you no longer fool me.
My eyes have been opened. You can never saw
my heart in two again.

The audience floats on cotton candy dreams.
A sucker is born every minute
and I will suck them dry.

You cannot suck the life out of me.
No longer will I hold my breath awaiting
the misdirection, the rabbit dying in floating hat.

I am the King of Smoke and Mirrors.
My sleight of hand will amaze and I
have everything up my sleeve.

You are naught but mirrored smoke,
your sleight of heart has no grasp on me.
A patter full of flash and flourish.

I perform alone now. The rabbit and I
spend lonely nights in countless hotels
where there is nothing to tell.

I left you alone, you need no company
for you are your own best audience.
I stopped applauding long ago.

I was deluded by my own tricks.
The magic is gone, the cards are dealt
And I have only jokers left.

I sat in the back row tonight, heard
restless murmurings. Your cards lay scattered
in the mud. The rabbit stole your last carrot.

My audience used to love me.
My pretty assistant left for pastures
with greener magic. I sat on my hat.

You are empty now, the king of fools.
Your glass is half empty and it will never be full
until you learn what all carnies know.

I should have given her real flowers,
a ring based on dreams, not spun from one.
I should have left my act on stage.

Carnies say, ”Always leave ‘em wanting more.”
You left me with nothing, no desire for more of that.
For the price of a ticket, a love was lost.

Can I change my act? Learn a new trick?
The spotlight has faded, I’m alone on the stage.
I thirst for her, but the water has spilled.

Magicians get no second chances. If the
trick doesn’t work, the magic spills
to puddle on the floor.

396 words