Elizabeth Bartlett
One Over The Eight
Art or algebra is all the same to me,
thinks Alice, like some 1930s nanny
off to see the changing of the Guard.
Xanthic flowers (yellow and never
passing into blue) are what she paints
from memory in life class, instead
of looking at the young stud nude.
Actually, she knows more about x
than either of the tutors gives
her credit for and got the unknown
quantity of X (in caps) first go,
with her X-ray eyes. She’s like
a xenolith, occurring in a system
to which she does not belong.
Y says it’s all Greek to her, for now,
but then she’s the second unknown quantity,
along with her sister Z (for Zoe or life).
She’s just flown through the time zone,
having xeroxed all the tatty secrets
of a forbidden language, comes home
determined to crack the code,
drinks XXX before she falls asleep.
Y tells her she can try a class and see
if she wants to stay. It’s for free.
To her surprise it’s full of Third Age
ladies (one with a hat, for adjusting
as the mood changes), so she leaves.
Man as tree appeals. His name is Justin.
Page(s) 22
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