Commedia dell'Arte

Are you happy with me

Here where I stand?

Jester in your court

I stand

Your loyal servant

I stand

All day

My feet pain

Ready with a joke
With a witty reply
The prepared anecdote

To make you laugh

And you laugh heartily 

With the food gurgling

In your gullet

Laugh at me
While I whisper
Some advice into your ear
And you call me
To advise you when none look
And I answer as best I can
With the very marrow of my bones

Your harlequin
Your loyal servant

In my bright clothes

And my silly walk

As I stand eager

To snatch the gold 

From your fingers

That I may go home

And my children will say

"Zanni have you food for us"

And I will say

"Not much"

And my children will say

"But weren't you funny?
You are a Zanni?"

And I will say

"Very. I was very funny

But our master

Does not get the real joke."

-o0o-