AMONG THE AUTOMATA

In his swift copperplate hand the boy
Wrote "Do I have a soul?" Despite the sign
Saying "NO MORE THAN FIVE TURNS"
Some late visitor had wound his key
Six and a half times. The rabbi shrugged.
"I don't know. What does one look like?
I'm a ghost, not a magician." The magician,
Who seldom spoke, lifted painted eyebrows
To indicate he didn't know either.
"You had one last Thursday," said the windup girl
"It whistled at me, like a kettle, and winked."

WR

The mechanical boy one morning

Began adding a small "wr"

At the bottom of each page

 He was not sure why:

The words seemed anchored now.

The magician watched closely

And, in the evening gave the boy

A card which said "William Rice."

Three days later the magician

Introduced himself: "Halabi."

"William Rice" said William.