The Amulet

‘I am so tired, so tired,’ he said,

‘So tired but cannot sleep,’

He lay there restless in his bed

But could not even weep.

‘I’m all wept out,’ he would have said

If she’d been there to hear,

But he lay in an empty bed

Since she had disappeared.

 

‘It’s not as if she left a note

To say she’d not be there,’

He watched the light bulb spider weave

A web above his stare,

She’d gone down to the market at

The other end of town,

And though he searched, she’d left his world

She’d turned it upside down.

 

The stallkeepers had seen her there

She’d gone from stall to stall,

Whenever she’d go shopping she

Would want to see it all,

Her endless curiosity

Had kept him home that day,

His legs would never carry him

The miles she’d walk that way.

 

‘Go try the stall that sells the scarves,

I’m sure I saw her there,’

She never did do things by halves

Of that he was aware,

‘Go see the stall with rings and things,

She bought an amulet,

A silver chain, all old and stained

And placed it round her neck.’

 

He’d looked in vain to find the stall

But he had packed and gone,

‘We didn’t really want him here

With such a carry-on,

He dealt in spells and tiny bells

And readings in his tent,

We wondered what was going on

Then he packed up, and went.’

 

And no-one saw which way he’d gone,

They didn’t even try,

‘We didn’t want to mess with him,

He had the evil eye.

Two other guys have lost their wives

As well, since he came here,

They go into that tent of his

Then seem to disappear.’

 

‘He kept a cage of spiders, that I know,

I saw them there,

Of many different colours, weaving

Cobwebs in the air,

He said they were his weavers, making

Gossamer, so sad,

He’d sell it in the Faery Dell, he said,

The man was mad!’

 

‘I am so tired, so tired,’ he said,

‘So tired but cannot sleep,’

He lay there restless in his bed

But could not even weep.

He watched the light bulb spider weave

A web above his stare,

And cried aloud, ‘Where are you, Eve?

I’m lost in my despair!’

 

David Lewis Paget

Reviews

[Valentine]

Gosh, how many women does any guy in his right mind need? Laughing, the guy had to be crazy to want more than one woman hounding him day after day. Did he turn her into a spider that weaved above his bed? Valentine Now you have me questioning my idea from this one,

[TPK Stories]

A truly spellbinding tale. Was the spider Eve spinning a web before him while he lay there restless?

[MomzillaNC]

Okay, you have me thinking the spider is Eve. Which makes me very glad you didn't have him knock it down and smash it -- which would have been it's fate in my house. (I hate spiders!)

[R Smith]

bit greedy this guy taking all those unfortunate women, this is a really unusual poem for you David and that is really saying something lol, your excellent work continues on, boundless imagination :)

[Marie]

I agree with Valentine; I think Eva was right above him, weaving a web. Perhaps she could give him a tiny signal...?

[Ehra Khan]

This peice is truly different and mesmerizing! it's got a hidden message that different readers may interpret in various ways! Also your rhyming pattern adds cheer and light heartedness to an otherwise strongly emotional poem! I loved the concept of the spider too! 'keep it up Sir! you're work is truly inspiring and very much admirable:)