GOODNIGHT FAIR

With the smell of fair food,

Still in the air,

It’s time to say goodnight,

At the Wayne County Fair.

The gates are all closed,

And won’t open til dawn,

When the moon fades away,

And the sun turns on.

Goodnight Gates

The ferris wheel quit turning.

There aren’t any bumper cars crashing around.

The horses are standing still,

On the merry-go-round.

The rides are all quiet,

Shut down for the night.

There’s no sound of laughter,

Or screams of fright.

Goodnight Rides.

The Grandstand seats are empty.

The spotlights are out.

The P.A. system was turned off,

After the announcer’s last shout.

Goodnight Grandstand.

The exhibits are sleeping with their ribbons,

Of yellows, reds, and blues.

There were so many good entries,

Picking winners was hard to choose.

Goodnight Exhibits

Standing sentinel each and every night,

The farm tractors await the break of day,

When farmers will stroll by with oohs and aahs,

And dream of plowing fields and mowing hay.

Goodnight Tractors

The vendors are sawing logs,

In their trailors and tents.

The carneys are barking in their sleep

Dreaming of tomorrow’s big events.

Goodnight Vendors

And what would be a fair,

Without fair food.

But the wagons are all shuttered,

Unmanned and uncrewed.

So goodnight cotton candy.

Goodnight candy apples on a stick.

And you’ll have to wait till tomorrow,

To get snow cones or ice cream to lick.

Goodnight elephant ears.

Goodnight funnel cakes.

Goodnight Lerch’s Donuts,

And the best donut anyone makes.

Goodnight sausage sandwiches.

And old fashioned lemonade.

Goodnight BBQ pork,

And eating in the shade.

Goodnight Fair Food.

The barns are all quiet,

Everyone’s fast asleep.

There’s not a sound to be heard,

Not a mouse or a peep.

Goodnight horses,

It’s time to hit the hay.

Goodnight cows,

Tomorrow’s a moo day.

Goodnight to our fine feathered friends,

Every chicken and duck.

Tomorrow’s your day to crow,

Cackle, quack, and cluck.

Goodnight to all the bunnies,

We love every hare.

May you dream of fields of clover,

That stretch from here to there.

Goodnight little piggies,

Tomorrow’s your day to be a ham.

Goodnight to all the sweaters,

Every alpaca and wooly lamb.

Goodnight to all the children,

Who wish they could’ve stayed.

And a special goodnight to all the parents,

Whose nerves were getting frayed.

The stars are twinkling up in the sky,

And the moon is shining bright.

At the Wayne County Fair,

It’s time to say goodnight.

Michael D. Schafer

© March 19, 2019