ONCE MORE, WITH DIMMISH

Rumor spread through the school
That Mary Dimmish, once a kirkgrim
Who haunted a church and now
English mistress, was keeping
A provost in her cupboard.
(Whether his will kept him there
Or if he was a sort of trophy
Or a souvenir of days at the beach
Rumor would not say, smiling faintly
When pressed by the senior girls).
At last Anne -- an American and so
Not subject to ordinary rules --
Interrupted a session on unsprung rhythm
To ask "Miss Dimmish, everyone says
You have a provost. Do you?"
Miss Dimmish raised her left eyebrow
Then lowered it. Raised the right one
Then blinked twice and sighed.
"Perhaps. But only a very small one."

AWAKE

Five in the morning

Each leaf thinks it alone is awake.

Mary Dimmish, once a kirkgrim

Now teaching at St. Uncumber’s,

Slept for forty years once

But nowadays does not.

Knots her clever fingers make

Cannot be untied.

Her students think

She teaches English literature.

Told this, Clotho laughs outright

And Lachesis smiles. Atropos

Does not see the humor of it.