Cirque des Morts - By Jamie Leilou Roberts

Written By: Jamie Leilou Roberts

Category: Poetry

Competition: Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026

Jamie Leilou Roberts presents "Cirque des Morts," a captivating poetry entry in the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026. In this work, Roberts invites readers into a hauntingly vivid world, where forgotten memories and faded grandeur linger. As part of the poetry category, this submission breathes life into themes of decay and forgotten histories, capturing the imagination with its evocative imagery and atmospheric depth.

About the Work

"Cirque des Morts" masterfully weaves a tapestry of desolation and haunting beauty. Through its vivid imagery and melancholic tone, the poem explores themes of decay and forgotten pasts. The use of stark contrasts between the grandeur of a bygone era and the present desolation creates a powerful narrative. Roberts' use of metaphor and personification brings the setting to life, offering a poignant reflection on the passage of time and the remnants left behind.

Cirque des Morts

Original Submission by Jamie Leilou Roberts

Cirque des Morts

Forgotten and faded,

These red and white stripes.

Strange, how the ringmaster ends caged-

The head of her sceptre now hollowed and cracked,

And the stage long abandoned in age.

We house no lions,

Only birds that never sing.

These stands sit silent and splintered.

The rooms reek of death;

Dual in rot, dual in flesh,

While their rust reeks of old iron-and sin.

Books lie scattered across the floors,

Their pages yellowed and torn.

The magician’s deck has lost its jester,

And his queen and her court still mourn.

Whispers wander along the labyrinth,

The hedges home thorns and rust.

The broken souls chatter-lost memories scatter,

All glory long lost to dust.

The blaze burned ash into clocks and mirrors;

Time danced with death and demise.

When pride proved guilt,

Velvet melt spewed to wilt,

And the Show-runner gouged her eyes.

Can you hear me?

Do you see me?

It frightens me, I confess-

I fear, to you,

I am no phantom.

And when it led

To the mourning June,

I then found the Devil and the Fool.

These omens share the backs of the same torn card,

And yet,

You are both and neither.

For to you, I am no phantom,

Nor a wraith, nor a corpse,

But rather,

A breathing cadaver.

And so the tent-now tattered,

Lights dangle with death,

The bulbs long lost to flame.

Vines plague the past;

They crept through the cracks.

And they called it, “Cirque des Morts” by name.

About the Competition

The Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026, hosted by Hashtag Kalakar, celebrates the art of storytelling and poetic expression. It offers a platform for writers and poets from around the world to share their unique voices and creative talents. The competition celebrates diverse narratives and innovative literary techniques, fostering a global community of writers and readers.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Jamie Leilou Roberts for sharing "Cirque des Morts" with us in the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026. Your contribution enriches the tapestry of this year's entries, and we appreciate the haunting beauty and depth of your work. Thank you for offering readers a glimpse into your imaginative world.

About Hashtag Kalakar

Hashtag Kalakar is a creative platform dedicated to providing artists, writers, singers and other creative talents with opportunities to showcase their work and reach wider audiences through competitions, features and creative initiatives.