"Mrs. Bell cont."

She offered me her hand,
trembling and grey.
It felt like cold potatoes,
but I dared not pull away.

My classmates shook their heads.
I was marching to my death.
The library was silent
save the wheezing of her breath.

Her fingers probed the shelf
then she handed me King Lear
I suddenly heard sobbing,
then she wiped away a tear.

(Oh no! what do I do?), I thought.
My heart began to race.
(do I pat her on the back?
do I try to give her space?)

My muscles went all rigid
then she leaned in whispering,
“you wouldn’t understand, my dear.
for love’s a grown up thing.”

“It’s been nearly 5 years,”
she said, staring with a grin,
“that I was last,
let in the mall,
to see that mannequin.”

Author guidance for This poem

Here are links to the characters that each poet is using:



1. Meliverde: (Gabriel's Mrs. Bell)
http://www.protagonize.com/story/winter-2010-poetry-tournament-rounds-3-and-4/64323

2. Gabriel: (RiverTalker's unnamed character)
http://www.protagonize.com/story/winter-2010-poetry-tournament-rounds-3-and-4/64336

3. Archi: (Elzu's Jimmy the Bonzai tree)
http://www.protagonize.com/story/winter-2010-poetry-tournament-rounds-3-and-4/62928

4. Briony: (Meliverde's undercover lover)
http://www.protagonize.com/story/winter-2010-poetry-tournament-rounds-3-and-4/64322

5. Olius: (Lyre's unnamed character)
http://www.protagonize.com/story/winter-2010-poetry-tournament-rounds-3-and-4/62914

6. RT: (PhoenixWolf's Death)
http://www.protagonize.com/story/winter-2010-poetry-tournament-round-1/59308

7. Lyre (Gabriel's pianist)
http://www.protagonize.com/story/winter-2010-poetry-tournament-round-1/59318

8. Bill: (Archi's unnamed character)
http://www.protagonize.com/story/winter-2010-poetry-tournament-round-2/61201

updated Feb 10 '10 by Rac7hel