Thicker than Water

He sat in his favourite corner,

Each day, just taking his pills,

The old man, Frederick Horner

Counting his cash and paying his bills,

They watched and noted his every move,

Took note of each sign of life,

He’d outlived both of his daughters,

And even his scheming wife.

 

He never revealed how old he was

And nobody knew the truth,

He said he was old as Methusaleh,

Remembered the Biblical Ruth,

He still had the very first dollar he’d earned

Had framed it, and locked in his drawer,

But now he had multi-billions,

And each day added more.

 

‘You’d think he would give us some,’ they said,

His sons, Nathaniel and George,

For they had to work for their daily bread,

And Nathaniel slaved at a forge.

‘He can’t live forever,’ George opined

‘And then it will pass to us,’

The money was always on George’s mind,

As he drove the local bus.

 

‘We’re not getting younger,’ Nathaniel said,

‘I’m forty and you’re forty-two,

We could have made good if he’d shown some trust,

But look at our Becky and Sue.

They both died young, of neglect they said,

And mother, she died from the shakes,

But he goes on, he’s just about dead,

It must be those pills he takes.’

 

They’d watched him taking his yellow pills,

He never said what they did,

The blue, kept under the windowsill,

The orange, the old man hid.

‘It must be them that keep him alive,

The orange, the yellow and blue,

What if we take the pills away?’

‘You can, but it’s up to you.’

 

‘Maybe we ought to try them first,

They could give us both long life.’

‘They didn’t do much for her,’ said George,

‘The old man’s second wife.’

Nathaniel nodded and looked quite grim

He remembered the yellow pills,

Spilling out of the woman’s hand

When she fell down, deadly ill.

 

They’d never been close to their father when

Their mother suddenly died,

Whenever there was an argument

They’d taken their mother’s side,

The old man sat in his corner and

Would mutter of stains and blood,

Would wait for a glimmer of light to shine

But doubted they understood.

 

‘We’ll try the blue, one pill apiece

One night when he’s in his bed,’

And so they did, they swallowed them down,

In seconds they fell down dead.

The old man grinned in his final breath,

‘Too curious, those two,

They should have asked who their father was

For it wasn’t me… I knew!’

 

David Lewis Paget

Reviews

[Warren Daniel II]

Oh my, I really didn't see that coming at the end, I have never read a plot twist within a poem this was a first for me. I really enjoyed this stanza "We’re not getting younger,’ Nathaniel said,
‘I’m forty and you’re forty-two,
We could have made good if he’d shown some trust,
But look at our Becky and Sue.
They both died young, of neglect they said,
And mother, she died from the shakes,
But he goes on, he’s just about dead,
It must be those pills he takes." Great job

[Penlady]

Double twist! Wow! Now I remember reading at another time but had forgotten the whammy u always provide at the end....double Bravo!

[R Smith]

another great story David, he was certain he's not the Father that's brilliant and his deadly pills hilarious :)

[Marie]

There's a rule or law or something against taking another person's prescription. That law, or rule, or whatever is there for a reason.

[MomzillaNC]

Okay… that was… in the words of Douglas Adams, "It was the product of a mind that was not merely twisted, but actually sprained."

[Valentine]

A very witty write. I think you had all of your reviewers stumped as to the outcome. I wasn't expecting him not to of been their father, he seemed to crafty and cagey for that. Great story. Keep them coming please. Kathie

[Frozen Eyes]

You depict a story in every poem you write and the characters are so life-like. I enjoy reading every one of it. and the ending of this one left me "shocked".. I love the way your writing captures my mind. Thank U for sharing :)

[Penlady]

The ultimate storier you...always with that great ending!

[Lizardo]

What a twist again in the last part, their mother dying and then both of them dying! Man what a rollercoaster of emotions you gave on this one.
Like said once, What an amazing piece you have here

[Not here]

This is a really good poem. I like the storyline, and I like that it rymns. It makes it so much easier to read. Congratulations on this!