All Comments on 'where are the clowns'

extended metaphor

..that would benefit from some trimming, I think. Liked the last stanza very much. (edit -- the only comma needed in the last stanza is the one after 'linger'.....super-glued needs a hyphen)

I'd drop echoing in "like screams in an echoing canyon." It sound better without it and most readers know screams echo in a canyon. I always like to go through my poems and see which words are unnecessary. You can get rid of a lot of extra words and still say the same thing.

*No longer using the rating system.

The images of shattered clowns cutting flesh struck me hard. Probably going to haunt my dreams. I agree with 12:01, great metaphor.