Mystery and Crime Poetry posted July 18, 2018


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A mystery

The Drifter

by Pamusart

His shoes are black and squeaky clean;
he's very tall and mighty lean
With many creases on his face,
he's not at ease inside this place
He picks a stool and sits right down
and gives the lady there a frown
she's thinking back to long ago;
yes he's the one she used to know

He wears a big old cowboy hat
complete with smokes and lonely match
A mem'ry flickers deep inside;
that mind of hers is grinning wide
She now remembers driving round
and then they kissed while on the ground
She asks him what he wants to drink;
he covers ears; says "let me think"

She can't remember when or where;
is wondering if she should care
His shoulders shake from weary tears;
he feels the rush of all his fears
He says "I'll just have water please";
raccoon-like eyes are all she sees
She sees them peek below the brim
and thinks that she'll get through to him

She calls him Jerry; that's his name;
they met before his ill got fame
With one big gulp, his water's gone;
he'll nurse another till the dawn
She says "I know you I am Joan
it's Jerry right"? she hears him groan
He took some trouble to escape;
a girl accused him of a rape

Why won't these women go away
and leave his head alone today?
Pretending that he's not the one
he says "this conversation's done
My name is Larry; sounds the same
but I don't care; what's in a name?"
Now Jerry/Larry looks at Joan;
she smells the musk of cheap cologne

His prior troubles follow him
Wher'ere he goes some life turns grim
It's time to bring this to a head;
she notices his look of dread
It's 2am, the bar is closed;
there's danger from this man she knows
His water still is very full;
he opens with a twist and pull

The curb outside is where he's parked,
but it looks diff'rent in the dark
He says "I'll take you to your car"
She says "it isn't very far"
They scurry off into the night
The barkeep dims most all the light
The cowboy knows it's him or her*;
emotions now are such a blur

He just can't kill them anymore
He looks at her and holds the door
She drives right off; she's tempted fate,
and in the mirror sees his gait
That limp he has is fairly odd
She's pinched his wallet; there's a wad
She sees a thousand dollar bill
He's now a fish without a gill

She doesn't see his car behind
She lets her consciousness unwind
He's feeling like a late night snack;
it's time he should be turning back
He would have left her all alone(
his urge to kill is all he's known
He can't believe she burgled him;
without that dough his future's dim

He needs to get his wallet back;
that's even if he must attack
She needs a shower so she goes
to scrub her back and also toes
He breaks the lock into her flat;
the kitchen table's where it's at
Deciding not to harm her now;
his murder plot he won't allow

He does not want attention's pain;
he knows that there will be no gain
He'll disappear and move *again;
her murder would have made it ten



Recognized


*. I took poetic license. I know that the proper pronouns are he and she

*. again is pronounced the American way rhyming with Ben

Sorry for the length. I cut out as much as I can

Thank you for reading my poem

i found the photo on the internet
Pays one point and 2 member cents.


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