Dinner for Two

The island path had been overgrown

As they walked up from the pier,

A rickety wooden landing stage

With a sunken boat, quite near,

But the vines and trellises overhung

On the pathway to the house:

‘Your friend’s not much of a gardener,’

Said Jack, to his new-wed spouse.

 

But Caitlin shrugged, and she smiled at him,

‘Once there, you’ll find he’s a dear,

He bought the island a year ago,

There’s plenty to do out here!’

But Michael Morris was on the porch

As they staggered up on the hour,

His eyes had sparkled on greeting them,

But the edge of his mouth was sour.

 

She greeted him with a downcast eye,

Tried not to look in his face,

The ravage of disappointment there

Of a man who had failed in his race,

She knew that she was the source of it,

She’d only needed a friend,

But Michael had wanted too much from her

And she’d turned to Jack, in the end.

 

The house was like a museum piece

And he ushered his guests around,

‘It was owned by a taxidermist, so

The animals here abound!’

There were elks and bears and tiger heads

And birds, a wolf or so,

Even a couple of shrunken heads

From the wilds of Borneo!

 

He called to the chef to greet them both,

A hulking Blackamoor,

Complete with a beard and turban, he

Just stood at the kitchen door,

He grinned and nodded, and flashed his teeth,

And towered over them all,

‘He came with the house, I kept him on,

He’s almost seven feet tall!’

 

There were several hours to waste before

The dinner was due to be served,

So Caitlin went to her room to change

Though Jack was a little un-nerved.

‘I’ll fit you out with some jungle greens

And I’ll show you the island front,

We’ll take a couple of crossbows out,

The boars are ready to hunt!’

 

The island was only a mile across

And three, at a pinch, miles long,

They followed a path up the mountainside

Where very few men had gone,

‘The boars are snuffling up ahead!’

Jack looked, but he couldn’t see,

But heard the hiss as the crossbow sang

And the bolt pinned him hard to a tree.

 

The pain was such that he couldn’t shout,

Just hung, unable to move,

While Michael studied his rival, said:

‘You know that I didn’t approve;

You’ve taken the woman I wanted for me,

My dinner was only for two,

So I’ll be dining your wife tonight

While the boars will dine on you!’

 

He left, and wandered back to the house,

No hurry, taking his time,

He knew that Ali was up to his eyes

In preparing the meal to dine,

He changed, went into the dining room,

Said grace - ‘Are we ready, or not?’

And savoured a portion of Caitlin’s shanks

As her head shrunk down in a pot!

 

David Lewis Paget

Reviews

[Patricia B. Hepler]

'His eyes had sparkled on greeting them,
But the edge of his mouth was sour.'
..'But heard the hiss as the crossbow sang
And the bolt pinned him hard to a tree.'

So, just where DID those other shrunken heads (from Borneo??) come from?
Deliciously scary ;) pat

[Laura Maidah]

Good write. Entertained me very completely

[redthai]

this is truly gripping...amazing

[Shimmerbliss/CAF]

Okay, I was NOT expecting that you rascal! I made the mistake of reading this late at night and although I am very impressed with your wild mind and wonderful writing...I am not feeling appreciative at this exact moment! :/ LOL

[Dayran]

One is reminded of the expression ' the way to a man's heart is through his stomach.' But aside from the macabre, it makes reference to the way the mind works like a motor by the simple association of wanting with eating. It may be a little aboriginal in expressing passions but they found in a study that eating relatives can cause brain damage. So Mike might be all right.

[cynthiabuhainbaello]

Gripping narrative with all its intrigue, conflict and horror. Fantastic tale that brought Alfred Hitchcock's cinema masterpieces to mind - and you did it with just vivid words! Brilliant!

[Lena M. P.]

Ok this is some serious voodoo at work. Now I'm supposed to sleep after reading that? You are a truly gifted mess you are. Loved it!

[Valentine]

You meanie..I thought this was going to be a happy ending poem..You really surprised me with this one..you are a genius..Love Kathie

[Thomas Fitzgerald]

There is a certain "you will" anthem to the piece, it negates the finer points on the lines not naturally spoken, you do it fierce justice, well done, good read.

[A Jainam Mehta]

amazing thriller poem.