The Upstairs Witch Poem by David Lewis Paget

I woke to a knock at the door one day,
And stumbled, to put on my gown,
The place was a shambles, and last night's tea
In cartons, was scattered around.
I hate people seeing the way I live,
They shouldn't call round, it's a bitch,
But called out, ‘Who is it? ' and got the reply,
‘It's me, it's the upstairs witch.'

I had no idea she lived upstairs,
The apartments are all very small,
The slightest of noises will carry on through
The ceilings, and paper thin walls.
I opened the door in bemusement then
To see who was pulling my leg,
She wore every colour the rainbow sent,
Pushed past me, and said: ‘Call me Peg! '

I followed her into the wreck of my room,
And mumbled, ‘I know, it's a mess.'
She shrugged, and she pointed my PC out,
‘I knew it was that, nothing less!
You sit and you type through the early hours
I hear all your whistles and bells,
Your tappity-tapping is driving me spare,
And worse, is confusing my spells.'

‘I have to compose when the mood is high,
And that is from midnight and on.'
‘And I only spell when the Moon is nigh,
I can't til the sun has gone.'
We stared at each other with little grace,
Both grim, with a certain intent,
She wouldn't be giving an inch to me,
I murmured I wouldn't relent.

‘We'll have to come up with a compromise,
I'll help you, if that helps myself,
I'll spell in your program a silence key,
And you'll be at peace with yourself.'
‘But what am I getting from you in return,
This sounds like it's going one way…'
‘I'll bring all your stories to life, ' she said,
‘In colour, and one for each day.'

‘I've written so many, you'll never keep up,
I'll need to go back through my files.'
‘Just open the drawer of your cabinet,
And I'll carry you there, for a while.
I've seen all your stuff on the Internet,
Your devils and demons and ghouls,
I haven't a clue what you think you will do
In a garden, with so many fools.'

She sits in her garret and plays with her spells,
I type without making a sound,
I open the drawer and I walk on the shore
Or hear bells from the church in the town.
I follow each lady I've written in verse
And make love when I'm feeling the itch,
They all wear the colours of rainbows at first,
And they look like the upstairs witch!

20 September 2014