JUST THE LUCK OF THE DRAW

Certain poems never feel quite finished. Take today's rewrite. I was doing a reading recently and read what I had thought was the finished version only to be dissatisfied with the whole thing. You can read that version here.

MURDER MYSTERY

I have arranged all this

sent out the invitations

Cobbled together a costume

to mirror the part I play

Here we are at table

all nervous laughter

We face each other

across the place settings

You are the married woman with secrets to hide

art imitates life

Your husband's role is as a trendy vicar

just the luck of the draw

Events unfold

follow the printed script

You could have done it! The vicar cries

points at you across the table

You’re having an affair!

The penny has dropped

The cat is out of the bag

I study your eyes

wait for your response

You denial sounds convincing

art imitating life

Then all attention turns to me

as I am revealed to be the murderer

There is much changed. I have tried to simplify the story, changed the layout and hopefully made it clearer. I wanted to emphasise that the narrator knows more than he is saying and the husband less. Probably time to put it away for another twelve years!

The Wave Pictures have a new album out. Here's House Painted Blue.

until next time.