Card Tricks

It was a party like most, I guess And not a “fun” one, I must confess But our hostess I adored And I just couldn’t say: “I’m bored”, So, I milled around, and said “Hello” And tried to fake a “party glow”. Through my third glass of cabernet I tried of something “cute” to say … To those persons I’d never met And find a place for me to set. In my search for a seating place I glimpsed an unsettling face The man to which that face attached To me appeared most mismatched With the guests there milling ‘round T’was from his presence that I frowned. His forehead high, his hair was dark His eyes in-set, his skin pock-marked His cheekbones prominent in their place And sunken cheeks in his hollow face His mouth was wide, his lips were thin And he possessed a jutting chin His jaw-line strong and not discrete But that made his face complete. From ‘cross the room this man I watched My impression? “The man’s debauched”. Then I thought: Absurd! ‘Tis the wine Which makes me think the man Vulpine! The hostess produced a deck of cards For playing card tricks and canards And for tricks, she performed a few She was skilled, accolades were due. The cards then she handed to The very man that I had viewed. O’re the cards he quickly pawed His card skills were great and awed With manipulations lighting fast Everyone watching was just aghast And I’ll admit, I was too Until at last the man withdrew. I began to light a cigarette Then realized I would regret For filling this crowded room with smoke A chastisement would be invoked So … I walked out to the patio To have my smoke … but didn’t know The man with the hollow cheeks stood there And held my eyes with his calloused stare. Tho’ not a single word was said, His thoughts were transmitted through my head: “There inside while you watched You thought me to be debauched” “And I am, and as you shall see I’ll verify that painfully”. Then cards he held out in his hand I knew I must do what he had planned. “Pick a card, any card, As you can see – none are barred” I saw my hand as it stretched out I picked a card mid-deck, about. I touched the card - there was a singe An imperceptible tiny twinge Between my finger and my thumb I began to be overcome As I looked into that hollow face A vision I wish I could erase His transformation from manly form Around my being began to swarm His eyes sunk backward in his head The whites of them turning red With burning centers of yellow hue ‘Tis then I knew my doom was due. I watched his evil face contorted By oozing running sores exhorted Evil retched rotting worms As back into his nose they squirmed And in my assaulted mind the pain Was already driving me quite insane The last thing I heard – his yell: “You’ve just met the Prince of Hell!” And now tonight I’ve met you, Let me show you card tricks I do Don’t worry it isn’t hard: “Pick a card … any card …”