Harry Quite Contrary

-Harry Quite Contrary-
by
Keaton Foster



I once knew a man
A circus freak show
Of a human being
If there ever was one
His name was
Harry quite contrary
He had a most peculiar
Deeply woven confliction
Harry quite contrary
Could not feel
Not a damn thing
Absolutely nothing at all
Those of us who knew him
Felt for his inability to feel
The surreal travesty of his life
Was neither a gift nor a curse
It was a decision he kept making
The mindset of his existence
A personal choice brought to fruition
Because you see as a young man
Harry quite contrary
Went through so much hell
That he on his own accord
Simply shut down his ability to feel
An unparalleled case of mind of matter
And pain over self-expression
Many years would pass
Many lifetimes would expire
But Harry quite contrary
Refused to allow himself to feel
Even if the slightest of ways
It became his job
A character in a sideshow act
That traveled around the country
Performing insane feats of
What should have been debilitating theatrics
People would pay a pretty penny
To see Harry quite contrary mutilate himself
In the most grotesque and horrific of ways
People would come from miles around
To see Harry remove his own skin
They would watch him insert instruments
Of pain into orifices of the crowds choice
They would often challenge Harry
To do increasingly more brutal acts
Acts that would leave any other man
Laying on the floor, screaming in horror
But not Harry quite contrary
He would not allow himself to feel
Expression was just not his thing
For many years Harry quite contrary
Traveled around the country
I would often visit him
When and if he came
Within close prolixity of my hometown
I was never one to miss his show
I became a friend that he could depend on
For the utmost support
For many years he never did ask
He just shook my hand
And assured me that he would be back
And each year he would show up
But then, one darker show
Than ever before Harry quite contrary
Seemed for a moment or more
To show the smallest sign of pain
The crowd screamed for a refund
They were sure that the man
Known not to feel was indeed
Feeling everything full bore
Outside his tent hung a sign that read
Guaranteed to amaze
Like the true showman he was
Harry quite contrary somehow
Managed to save his performance
By assuring the audience
That he was absolutely fine
They settled down, they cheered
As Harry quite contrary
Took his most final bow
After the tent was cleared
After the show came to an end
All that was left was Harry and I
Standing in the middle of his tent
As soon as he was sure it was clear
As soon as he was sure I was
The friend that I claimed to be
He fell over in sheer agony
Whispering for God to end his miserable life
Praying for forgiveness of all that he had done
Not to himself, but to everyone else he had loved
I thought to flee, to find help
But as I watched Harry I knew help
Was what he needed and wanted least of all
As Harry quite contrary laid at my feet
The tortured life of his being began slowly escaping
I said nothing as he further labored in pain
I said nothing as he expired from his wounds
I remained silent as his truth came to bear
Harry quite contrary felt it all
Every damn bit of every experience
He had ever had in his lifetime
For many years he was able to hide it
To cover it up under the guise of showmanship
On the day that he died
All of the abuse, both self-inflicted
And inflicted by others came to a head
As a man Harry quite contrary was quite brave
As a human being, Harry was doomed…



Harry Quite Contrary
Written by Keaton Foster Copyright © 2012.