The hinderance to talk

He moved the lamp closer

sitting motionless there

upon the desk of neat appearance

with assumed nonchalance

in the room of neat appearance

above the murmer of the sea

and under the murmer of the wind in the trees

where from sunrise to noon

he nursed discontent

into a noticeable increase in tension

always nagging himself about something or other

and taking offence at the least provocation

an ordinary man

obscured in a maze

of old-fashioned omens and

overwhelmed

by rabid opponents

and zealots

with paraphrased passages

the hinderance to talk

I paled and the cold penetrated

my bones

when with unpardonable pride

he related his part

the highways were no longer passable

_____

gw2011