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Poetry is just the evidence of life. If your life is burning well, poetry is just the ash. Leonard Cohen

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Mrs. Murphy's House of Heads

photo by lolamouse (Cargo in Portland, OR)
The advert in the paper read
"Mrs. Murphy's House of Heads"
I found it down a dead end street
A small house, completely discreet
except the window sign that said
"Mrs. Murphy's House of Heads."

I went inside to have a look
and in each cranny and each nook
was tucked a head, some big, some small
I couldn't even count them all!
Some heads were happy; some were sad
Here was a lass and there a lad
Some heads were ugly; some were fair
Some heads were bald and some had hair.

Each head upon its neck did sit
I found it creepy, just a bit
But I had come to buy a spare
It's said I lose mine on a tear
I wondered what a head would cost
and how the ones in here were lost!

I stood there staring, lost in thought
when someone asked me what I sought
Twas Mrs. Murphy, her fine self
arranging heads upon a shelf
"How can I help you?" she asked me
"I need a head you'll guarantee
will stay attached should I get mad
much better than the ones I've had."

"Come right this way, I think I know
a head that will fit you just so!"
She lead me to a little room
all full of heads that I assume
were packed with thought, with smarts, with wit
the choicest heads that would befit
a person of my pedigree
but which one would she choose for me?

"The head you have right now's first rate,
but if you want to trade it - GREAT!"
"But I want an extra head
I want to keep mine too," I pled
She said, "That's fine, no need to beg,
I'll let you  pay with your left leg."
"No way! I want to keep the pair!"
"I hardly think that that seems fair!"
she said to me with great alarm
"But I suppose I'll take an arm."

I spoke, "You know, I've changed my mind."
I thanked her but at last declined
It costs too much to get a head
I'll keep just what I have instead! 

5 comments:

Fireblossom said...

Quitter! LOL. I have a spare head in my bedroom. It's styrofoam.

Marcoantonio Arellano (Nene) said...

ok, 'heads' or 'tails'?

good to hear from you, Lolamouse

Kerry O'Connor said...

The whole play on losing one's head is so clever! Excellent structure and a witty narrative.

Anonymous said...

that's funny, lolamouse ~

humbird said...

Oh, what a good idea to get a new head! Some days I feel like having wrong one ( when headaches) LOL