Little Boy On A Bridge (1981) Poem by Mark Nichols

A little boy passed on a bridge
Down below sat the little girl
Why do you cross? " little girl asked, in an offhanded way
To get to my piano teacher's house, little boy replied

'No, " she said, "wait! "
Suddenly, she appeared at the end of the bridge
which the boy had yet to cross.
"You are very little, " said the boy

The girl's head dropped low and she exploded
bits of her flying this way and that
The boy was terrified as one might guess
and he stood there at the end of the bridge
a big tear sliding down his face
It itched and he had to wipe it of

Amazingly, where the girl had exploded just seconds before
there was just a giant larvae
The boy, being of reasonable upbringing and keen mind,
walked quickly over to the larvae and began eating it
White scum oozed down down to his chin with every voracious mouthful

The glint in his eye was terrifying and defensive
like that of a spider devouring her young- but practical

When he finished
Little boy continued on to his piano teacher's house
- where she in turn, ate him