The Morning After

Sunrise glint through gingham curtains

Flicks through the

slow

rhythm

of mill sails

Frank awoke to the sounds of PHA

The storm hadn't taken away

what was dear to them

What was dear to Frank was more than timbers

Memories of last night still lingered

His fingers trailed across her skin

Now sure how he felt within

Her clever, gentle strong willed mind

natural beauty, heart so kind

Determined woman full of work

He'd never ever seen her shirk

She slept...

Sue slept on beside him,

this mystery girl from where?

Frank really didn't care.

Naturally

not by design

He knew their lives were intertwined

Frank kissed her as she slept

Breathed in the scent of her

long...

blond hair...

Soft 'gainst stubble of his face

Ready to embrace the day

Jug of water into bowl

Frank peered into the mirror

His reflection like

A canvas by Van Dyke

He started shavin' .... carefully

Quiet, calm, she resides

in the dark cleft behind her eyes

She feels his touch... his breath...

The long-ago whisper of absinthe

With stealth learned through necessary desperation

She slips out, as he attends to his morn'n ablutions.

Swiftly, Sue picks up the coin.

When he chose her over fate, their lives were joined.

Sue puts the farthing in her pocket,

She resolves to see if Petra's skill with jewelry can nestle it in a locket.

The wind'n steps of slab 'n stone

Afford a silent exit to the kitchen below

With precious fuel,

Diligently gathered each day,

She stokes the stove,

And decides to make

Biscuits with a treasure trove.

A center treat of berry jam

... To delight the man...

With center cuts of sugar-cured ham.

Out the window of their windmill home

She watches, as the geese take their morn'n waddle to the pond.

She whispers:

I'm not live'n like an animal no more.

I gots a home!

With a real stove 'n a front door.

And a man who shows me every day

He's gonna stay...

And I ain't a bother, or in the way.

If Pastor Stein is right... 'n there's a God up there...

"I hope you're listen'n, God, you best take heed. "

And raise'n one scrawny fist high in the air,

Sue says her prayer...

"Just you pay me no mind, God,

Pretend I'm not here...

Find someone else to tease...

Cause I'm not run'n anywhere!"

Soon Frank went to find her

Few spoken words

A kiss

uninterrupted bliss?

Not at all

A runchus

A runchus big and loud

Coming from the hayloft

drawing quite a crowd

A scraggy lad a tumblin in the hay

Frank Sue ran without delay

The lad received a hefty clout

Blink'n hit midst sea of shouts

But Jack gave stout retaliation

He'd suffered so much exploitation

At the hands of Mario

And back to him he wouldn't go

Frank got between them

'Stop this lads'

Blinkin said 'this boy is bad

' I found him in the hay loft Sir

He's stolen food, here's lemon curd'

'I stole nothing Jack replied

All I did was try to hide

There's not a meaner crueler man

Than Mario in all the land'

'Now look here Jack you conned towns folk'

'Because that quack would slit my throat,

Please listen Sir, he made me do it

if I spoke up, he'd put me through it

His belt would lash across my back

That evil, nasty lying quack'

Frank considered want to do

Talked it over with friend Hugh

Eventually he took advice

From Sue who's wisdom

Was concise

Sue whispered

'Let's be kind, let's be nice

Let's try to understand his plight'