Page 5 - Contrast1977Mayv20n3

A bone ohina danoing doll fell
off the shelf and shattered
into a pile of silver dust; only
the head with ita rouged oheeks
and atiff oorksorew ourle rolled away intaot.

The maid oame and Bwept the duet
under the thiok tapestry rug; the head
she saved for her H·ttle daughter.
Charlie Gray IS pet lizard came to visi·t
and swallowed the head on a dare.

J.'hel.ieard got sick and waa [Luehed of orap, etc ..• ,
down the toilet with great oererr,~ony.
The toilet choked and spewed forth I
ita aad atory. Dust became mud I
as the rainbow rug was re8cued from the deluge
I

The maid swept the duet-turned-
mud-turned-olay into the inoinerator.
The fire-hardened ~lay oracked
into pieces and was shovelled out
with the ashes to be buried.

I picked out the burnished splinters and built
a iaal.l: to protiect: me from you, but
1· fell against its jagged edges
fleei11fJ to you from the putrid lizard
that had somehow got inside.

My blood and tears Boftened the glue
that held my wall together
and my wall crumbled down
in a heap around me
and on top of me. Oh!

Please, won't you help me get out rot.
from under this ugly debris and ab~y
from that painted head leering out at me
from the rotting l.i.zardcarcaee?
I'm afraid I'll faint and [al.L in the stinHng

I am orushed and my woundB gape wide.
Help me, doet.or, won't you, please,
before I bleed to death.

Donna Armstrong