Andy the Agelast sat upright and fat
drinking his shoddy sherbat
writing the usual boondoggle
his grand “enterprising” this that.
Rubbing his bibcock nose
he looks up and says,
“the moment to be seized is here!
If we work together there’s nothing to fear!”
His clattering clichés
try hard to climb
and jump on their ears, but they are
too busy in a game of boggle over beer.
Till of course she walks in,
typewriter, glasses and tights.
Lady dear Lady dear,
all mellifluous, spectacular
in watery white. She takes her time
placing herself, lambently divine.
All the while he is dandling
his philosophies up and down,
sifting swiftly for fitting words
that define the beauty of his science.
He is about to clumsily pour them another
one of his explanatory whines,
but it is met with Mrs. Agelast:
small and stiff like a swizzle stick.
Akimbo she stands, then arms fescue-like,
guide him along big words,
eyeing them to dare draggle his visions
in sniggers. So they hold
their hearts, widen their ears and
footle the remaining night
in flummery and hidden stares.
~ Mavra Rana Tanweer
Mavra Rana Tanveer’s life and work are based in Lahore. She studies and teaches literatures and cultural studies. Some of her creative and research work can be found in The Maya Tree Liberal Arts Review.