The Smile. A record, filed.
Flood gobbled in conquest along the lane.
They gathered in the brown saloon at ten.
Water reared like shutters across each cane.
They heard the smack of storm about the fan
and storm’s insistent drum.
Who told this knot to come,
to sit in the silent cold, the fire dead?
‘Because told myself to let it die,
I let the fire die,’ the landlord said,
‘But puzzling really - .’ He flopped to reverie.
‘Is it that? he or she?’
or is it yet to be?’
The white-worm snuffled at the empty glass.
The brain-fat head with the short-tempered pipe,
under the weighting of the winkless brass,
received a sharp, cold, fear-trembling wipe.
Old rich back was nestling
to his beer and wrestling
with the sight of one busy at the task
of bitter nail digging in bitter dust,
killing the question that she dare not ask,
asking the only question that she must:
‘Tell us what each is worth?’
‘Is this a death? - or birth?’
Suddenly, oak on oak. Stick of thunder.
A door-clash.. An exclusion of the storm.
An end to questions.. An end to wonder.
And a malignant joy came, active, warm.
And yes, he smiled.
Page(s) 5
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