Michael Roc Thomas

London UK

 

 

My first book of ‘tropical & topical poems’ called ‘Seeing Better Now’ was published at the Galle Literary Festival, Sri Lanka in January 2018 and went on to win the ‘Outstanding Contribution to the Literary Arts Award’ at the BRISLA Awards held in the Long Room at Lords CG in October 2018.   www.michaelrocthomas.com

 

This poem The Beard was written in late March 2020 during lockdown in London. 

 

The Beard

 

Last month I grew a beard

Tally-ho, tally-ho

More fulsome than I’d feared

Let it grow, let it grow. 

 

For this was my reply 

To the virus from the east

A vanity that I

Felt sure should be released. 

 

Now soft as it appeared

And smooth as fine Merlot

My wife too often sneered

And told me it must go.

 

To which I’d ask her why

She compared me to a beast

A claim she can’t deny

At least ‘til I’m deceased. 

 

With normal life cashiered

And spirits sometimes low

I must confess I cheered

When fuzz and fringe did flow. 

 

Yet even when I’d try

To get her jibes decreased

My pleas refused to fly

My brows were ever creased. 

 

So now I have this beard

As white as fresh laid snow

Until the day it’s sheared

And nothing’s left to mow.