BEASTLY TALES

THE APPARITION

Horace Humbug saw an old friend,
He’d not been expecting this, so went to apprehend,
“Hello, it’s so good to see you,”
“Although, if it’s you, I haven’t a clue.”
“A friend told me that you were dead.”

Said Conrad, “As you can see I’m very much alive,”
“I can dance nicely and I can jive!”

“At the moment I’m in a bit of a stew,”
Said Horace, “I can’t believe that I do see you.”
“You act and talk as though still alive,”
“That this reported death you did survive.”
“Just as soon as I did arrive.”

Conrad said, “I’m still alive, for I never was dead.”
“You should pay attention to what I have said.”

“But my other friend is so much more reliable than you.”
“I really do not know what to do.”
“I don’t, indeed, know what to believe.”
“You may well be acting just to deceive.”
“To take advantage of a muddled brain.”
“And, there you go, dancing again!”
Said Horace, “I think I need a detailed check-up,”
“Especially from my stately neck-up!”
“My friend said you pined away from love of your own reflected image,”
“That death resulted from such a bad scrimmage.”
“And, as I said, my other friend is so much more reliable than you.”
“So how can I discount what he did espew?”
“But how do I, indeed, know you are not dead?”
“Just like my other friend has said?”
“You can see that I’m really trying hard.”
“Can you show me an identity card?”
“You might be just a look alike,”
“You always were a cheeky type.”

The un-deceased friend now did say,
“With such a subject do you think I’d play?”
“My name is Conrad, yesterday and today,”
“Tomorrow still, will Conrad stay!”

Horace decided, in the end,
That he’d believe this Conrad friend.
But there might still remain a doubt.
That the real Conrad might not be about.

Horace saw Conrad upon the stair,
He looked again, he wasn’t there.
He wasn’t there again today.
He really wished he’d stay away.
Horace thought too, he’d feel no sorrow,
If Conrad wasn’t there, tomorrow.