Disclaimer: Dick Grayson and Damian al Ghul-Wayne are the property of DC comics.

Note: This poem is written renku-style. There are two speakers. One speaks in haiku (three lines. The first has five syllables, the second seven, and the third five). The other in renku (two lines of seven syllables each.)

Serious Fun

I'm sure that father

Would never permit such misuse

Of his training. And...

Stop whining and get into

The costume. Wig and shoes too.

Do you expect the

Joker to appear? Is that

Why we're dressed as clowns?

No. For the tenth time, we are

Going to the hospital-

To entertain the

Patients. Yes. Brilliant cover.

What's the true reason?

We're cheering the patients. I

Wish we could go more often

Really, Grayson, I

Don't understand why you feel

A need to crack jokes

Look in my eyes, Damian.

Do I look like I'm joking?

Frankly, no. I find

That even more worrisome. It's

Starro, isn't it?

What? No, this is something

I want to do. Something fun.

Well, of course, if you

Were in Starro's thrall, then you would

Deny your status

Damian, Starro hasn't

Taken me over. Get changed.

What in...? You expect

Me to don a red nose? And

Carry a bike horn?

Do a good enough job and

Next time you get the seltzer.

When father hears that

You forced me to take part in

This stupidity-

Who do you think it was who

Talked me into bringing you?

Talked you into... You

You're lying! Father would not...

He would never do...

It was his idea. He agrees

With me. You're way too intense-

I model myself

On him! Are you saying that

He wishes me to be-

More like me? No. More like you?

Yes. But you have no clue how.

You're joking again,

Aren't you? I can tell by the

Way you make no sense.

Sorry, Damian. This time,

I'm not pulling on your leg

Then explain yourself.

I don't know how to be me?

How preposterous!

C'mon. You were trained to be the

Perfect little soldier but-

You make it sound as

Though that's undesirable

When that training has-

Damian? Do you even know

How to have fun? Do you... play?

Play? Play is for small

Children. Not for warriors

Nor vigilantes

And when the vigilante

Is ten? What happens then, huh?

Age does not factor.

Play is a luxury that

I can ill afford.

Who are you parroting? Sheesh.

Do you really believe that?

Mother. And of course,

I believe her. Just look at

How father acts! He-

Plays golf. And until very

Recently, played the fop, too.

Golf is a fine way

To build coordination

I hardly think that-

So's juggling. The only real

Difference is the audience

It's different enough.

Wait. Those balls. Surely you don't

Mean me to juggle...?

Here, catch. Okay. Pick them up

Before they roll everywhere

You caught me off guard.

I did not expect that you would

Dare to presume that-

Then, lesson one is, 'expect

The unexpected.' Learn it.

I thought you meant this

To be 'fun'. But I hate the

Entire notion

If you've never tried it, then

How do you know you hate it?

How do I know that I

Hate playing a juggling clown?

Call it intellect.

I'll call it fear. You're afraid

You might really enjoy it.

How dare you? I am

Wayne and al-Ghul. I know

No fear. And I won't-

Good. Then put your nose on and

I'll help you with the make-up.

Make-up? Now you go

Too far. I will wear the wig,

The shoes and... costume

And the make-up. It's part of

The act. An important part.

The costume. I will even

Squeak that ridiculous horn

But I draw the line-

So, you do want them to know

It's you, then? Guess you ARE brave

Oh, very well. Paint

Me, if it makes you happy.

But father will hear-

Absolutely. And see. He'll

Be in the audience, too.

Father? At the show?

But... but we haven't rehearsed.

Grayson, we will fail-

Hey, calm down. You'll be fine. And

I've spent a lifetime onstage.

I haven't! Why did

You not tell me he would be

There? I'd have agreed-

So, get dressed, already. Show's

Four hours away. We have time.

But I've never... I

Can't... This will be an utter

Disaster. And when...

You really don't want to let him

Down, do you? Trust me. You won't.

It won't be perfect.

And everyone will laugh. I

Will disgrace his name

Well, of course they'll laugh. We're clowns.

Our JOB is to make them laugh.

Father too? I've not

Seen him laugh. Not ever. Does

He truly know how?

Oh, yes. Matter of fact, I'll share

A secret. He learned from me.

You lie! He must have

Known how earlier. But... I've

Not seen it. Ever.

This afternoon, Damian,

You will. Ready to rehearse?

I suppose. It's basic

Acrobatics. But in these

Shoes... I guess it could

Look funny? You bet. Don't kid

Yourself. This takes skill. Of course...

As an al-Ghul,

I have that in abundance.

And, I suppose you...

Yup. Me, too. We'll knock their socks

Off. Especially Bruce's.

You'd better be right

Grayson. Because if I let him

Down, he will never-

First: you won't let him down. And

Second: yes he will. Trust me.

You don't even know

What I was about to say.

How are you so sure?

I know Bruce. I know you won't

Let him down. So, it's moot.

Very well. So. I... toot

This horn. And tumble. And then...

The spectators laugh?

Well, there's a little more to it.

Let's start now, and I'll show you.

You know, Grayson, you

Aren't as insufferable

As I once thought you.

Funny. I was just thinking

The same about you, Damian!