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Monday, January 1, 2024

i met a man


by horace p sternwall



long ago and far away
i met a man the other day
he was.walking down the street
muttering things i can’t repeat

i asked him what upset him so
and then his tears began to flow
he called on heaven for validation
of his cursing of creation

as he expounded on his theme
i recalled a curious dream
that i had many years ago
as i lay buried in the snow

an angel with a flaming sword
a purple demon looking bored
the kings of portugal and spain
and i were waiting for a train

we saw a light in the sky
and paused to wonder why
out of all the possibilities of time and space
we should be in that particular place

it was curious indeed
but there was no need
to reply as i awoke -
as the angel told an interminable joke

i closed my eyes as the muttering man
finished his story and began
to tell it over from the start
as he had forgotten the best part



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