Sorry it took so long - I've been away. Scott Gleeson on Bloodlines [John Stewart board]sent me the following [I haven't checked it agaianst anything else you sent - it may be the same]:

JOCKO AND THE TRAPEZE LADY
Dick Feller

(G)He was a (D)boy when the (C)circus first (G)came to the (C)dust of his West Texas (G)town(C-G).
And twenty years (D)later, he'd (C)spent twenty (G)years as (C)Jocko the Sad Circus (G)Clown(C-G).
He (Em)did slap-stick gags in (C#dim)grease paint and rags and the (C)people would laugh 'til they (G)cried(C-G).
But they never saw (C)past the (G)painted clown (C)mask to the (Am)sad, empty (D)man locked in(G)side(C-G).

The trapeze lady swung easy and gracefully, high in the high trapeze swing.
Her parents were flyers. The circus was her life. The carny was deep in her veins.
High in the spotlights in sequins and pink tights, she flew like a bird in the wind.
The saw dust's own daughter, the strong men who caught her were all that she brought to her tent.

(Em)Jocko worked down with the (C#dim)center ring clowns with a (C)sad painted smile on his (G)face
And the trapeze (C)lady swung (G)easy and (C)gracefully (G)high in the (D)great canvas (G)space.
(Em)Jocko looked up with a (C#dim)tear in his heart and, (C)Lord, he wished he could (G)fly
For she never looked (C)down at a (G)baggy pants (C)clown who looked (G)up with (D)love in his (G)eyes.

Interlude [Em-C#dim-C-G] playing E-D-C#-C-E-D#-D

It was Tulsa, the last stop, the last show of the big top, a loud, sell-out crowd filled the seats.
They clapped for the walk-around and cheered for the clowns. The fliers brought them to their feet.
Then a still half-lit match fell in tender dry grass and soon found the dry saw dust floor.
The flames leaped higher. When the people heard, "Fire!" they swept like a wave for the door.

(Em)Jocko looked up to the (C#dim)top of the tent and a (C)hundred feet from the (G)ground
Swung the trapeze (C)lady, (G)up on the (C)high swing, (G)alone, with no (D)way to get (G)down.
He (Em)ran to the ladder that (C#dim)led to the platform, she (C)cried, "Jocko, no! There's no (G)time!"
But her quick word of (C)fear fell (G)deaf on love's (C)ear as (Am)slowly he (D)started to (G)climb.

(G)Hand over (D)hand to the (C)high flier's (G)stand, (C)taking the rope that hung (G)there
With one quick look (D)down, the (C)sad circus clown looked (Am)up and (D)took to the (G)air.
(Em)Slow then slowly he (C#dim)started to swing, his (C)eyes turned to tears in the (G)smoke.
Faster then (C)faster and (G)as he swung (C)past her, her (G)strong flier (D)hands found the (G)rope.

She (Em)slipped to the ground as the (C#)flames found the rigging and (C)licked at the rope that he (G)held.
He'd (G)started be(C)low when the (G)rigging let (C)go and (Am)down to the (D)saw dust he (Em)fell. [Interlude]
She (Em)ran to his side and with (C#dim)tears in her eyes, "Oh, (C)no! Jocko, why?" she (G)cried.
He raised his sad (C)head. "I (G)loved you," he (C)said and he (Am)closed his (D)eyes and he (Em)died. [Interlude]

Now, the trapeze lady swings easy and gracefully high in the great canvass space.
But a place and a time are still etched in her mind of a smile painted on a sad face.
And she sometimes looks down to the center ring clowns for someone she never has found.
For she still remembers the time when love came to her wearing the face of a clown.


Eric