Pristine

MAGPIE TALES
http://magpietales.blogspot.com/
supplied the illustration

PRISTINE

The evening hung heavy, my darling,

As I waited for you, all alone.

I sat in my chair drinking coffee

And awaiting a ring on the phone.

It was five, it was eight, then eleven!

You were never this late in the past!

It must be that something had happened!

If only you'd come home at last!

Ah yes! A small sound in the driveway!

The sound of your tyres on the snow!

The sense of relief was stupendous!

I'd kill you for scaring me so!

You were there! Gazing in through the window!

Was that blood on the side of your head?

Poor dear! You'd encountered a problem!

To think I'd imagined you dead!

I dragged open the door to embrace you.......

No-one there! Just the dark! Just the dark!

And the snow, glistened smooth, glistened pristine;

Ghosts never leave any mark.

*
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JURY DUTY

I've never been called to Jury Duty, though I'm quite an age,

But I was once a jury member in a play upon a stage.

The play was 'Trial by Jury', which was rather apt, I guess;

It was one of the Light Operas written by G. and S.

(Gilbert and Sullivan, of course; I'm sure that's understood.)

I remember thinking, at the time, that it was rather good.

We were an all-female jury and we wore extravagant hats,

While the gentlemen, who were lawyers, wore shiny shoes and spats.

We only had to sit there, giving a frown or smile,

And often bursting into song, in true light opera style.

I can't remember the numbers; it's all so long ago,

But I'm sure today's musicians would find the whole thing slow.

Now, I'm a so-so singer, but dancing's not my thing;

I find it hard to remember words while I hop and prance and spring!

So I remember 'Jury' as a show that fitted my bill,

For I could act my heart out while I was sitting still!