Madame Sosostris
Noble Collins
Margaret Reid Poetry Contest for Traditional Verse 2007 (view all the winners)
Honorable Mention
With daily preparations made,
she slumps into her chair,
a fraying turban hiding graying threads
of thinning hair.
The hem is slightly tattered
of her dress of velveteen.
A peeking pair of slippers there
have lost their silver sheen
Around her slender shoulders
drapes a shawl with golden thread.
Stars and moons appearing
in a universe of red.
In all, she looks quite comely,
surely not the worst for wear.
She figures she is ready
for the seekers coming there.
She pulls a wobbly table
within reach of spindly hands,
and fumbles with a deck of cards
to meet the day's demands.
Her sniffles are a nuisance.
She endures a common cold,
but otherwise her health is good,
or so the cards have told.
Her book shows no appointments,
so she risks a gin with lime,
and turns the television on
to while away the time.
Just off highway ninety eight
near the town of Drear
sits the lonely single-wideó
no reason to pause here.
Outside the rain is colder,
and the afternoon turns mean.
Loud traffic takes no notice,
swishing swiftly past the scene
How little do they understand
the wonders held inside,
as weeds continue carelessly
a little sign to hide:
"Madame Sosostris
Famous Clairvoyante"
