The Conversationalist

I met a conversationalist at the park,

She was keen on speaking,

That was pretty sure,

To broadcast to anybody,

For the sound of her voice,

For the sound of her story,

Her Collie dog was doing her best,

On keeping quiet,

Less arguments by this way,

The woman did not know

Who was listening,

Who was who,

At the end of the story led,

Of course,

To the Collie

And the Collie's point of view,

Anxiety and annoyance was watch-words,

Dignified and polite,

By the slow way she carried herself,

Deliberately slow,

The paws delicately placed,

Tread over tread,

The way she came up to you,

Earnest,

Steadily,

No trace of fear,

Asking to be a friend,

Two of us,

Speech-defying!

© R Frank Wilson