ALICE AND THE CARICATURE.

A GIRL DRAWS A CHALK CARICATURE OF THE NEW NANNY

Alice chalks

secretly, in

red and white,

a caricature

of the new

nanny her

father has hired.

The stick like

figure is spread

eagled across

the side wall

of the house,

red hair, eyes

and mouth,

white long

protruding

teeth and

four fingers

on each hand.

She has heard

her parents row;

the new nanny

took her by

her small hand

to the nursery

and sat her in

a chair; stay

there, she said.

She draws a

thin white line

of chalk through

the nanny's heart.

She stares, smiles,

and wipes her

hands on her

pinafore and

put her hands

behind her back.

Her father had

punished; her

mother had

cried and rowed

and now Alice

waits outside,

by the wall,

staring at the

caricature, the

stick nanny

with an arrow

through her heart.

The sun is dull;

rain threatens;

birds sing; the

thin maid walks

with a mild limp.

Alice waits for

rain; her hands

sense the area

of punishment

pain. Mother

loves and hugs

and kisses. Her

Father glares

and shouts

and smacks

and never misses.