Henry, This Is What You Wanted
By Matthew Brothers
Henry Bemis, this
is what you wanted,
“time enough at last.”
Before, you were mocked.
At your work, they scoffed.
Bank teller, bookworm.
Sad to say they don’t
go together well.
Reading on the job,
your boss’ head throbs.
Engrossed in the book,
you convey the plot
to the customer.
She’s not pleased when she’s
shortchanged, Henry, please.
Your wife asks you to read her
A poem. Then you see
She’s blacked out the words.
On your break, you go
to the bank’s back vault.
This place is perfect
for reading in peace.
Your stress is released.
While reading, you cross
into a land of
“shadow and substance,”
it’s the Twilight Zone.
The H-bomb has blown.
Humanity has
been all wiped away.
Henry, you are here
to stay. You can read
all day. You are freed.
Found a library,
so, clean your glasses,
stack up all those books,
and carefully bend
down to pick your book.
Bend down carefully,
Henry. You don’t want
your glasses to fall
and- snap, shatter. They’re
gone. Blind are your eyes.
“It’s not fair, there was
time now.” Your plea and
cry. Fate’s eyes are dry.
The rest of your time alone. No books. Shame.
