Ballad of a Mystery

He must have disappeared when I turned my back,
For when I turned around he was not where he last sat.
Maybe he flew away or maybe even ran!
Could it be that he found another man?

I looked over, I looked under, 
I looked in between,
But the darned thing was nowhere to be seen.

He must have disappeared when I stopped to fix my tie,
Or when I stopped to give a little brat a lollipop so that he would not cry.
Maybe my stories and complaints caused him to grow tired,
Or maybe even by some wealthy, skinny old lady he got himself hired.

I looked over, I looked under, 
I looked in between,
But the darned thing was nowhere to be seen.

I wonder if he ran off when I stopped to be prayed for?
If that is the case, then he is ungodly to his core!
Maybe he just took a walk, maybe he couldn’t wait,
Until the prayer was over. That must be the case!

I looked over, I looked under, 
I looked in between,
But the darned thing was nowhere to be seen.

I searched the corridors, I looked through bags and garbage pans,
I lifted rocks, shook trees and even dug in sand.
I waited on the curb where we met
I waited there in the sunshine, the windy even when it was wet!

I looked over, I looked under, 
I looked in between,
But the darned thing was nowhere to be seen.

So in despair I walked alone with my head low, feeling like this was the end,
Only to look up and see my missing friend with a friend.
I ran to him and hugged them both with glee!
I cried to my no longer lost friend and asked: “Why did you leave me?”
He said: “My dearest dearest dear, your side I would never leave.
So wipe your tears my friend, no more do you have to grieve.”
I looked at him with a befuddled expression and asked: “What then did you do?”

He smiled at me and said: “I went to get my other half so now you have a sense of humour times two.”

Rajae Williams

(Class of 2009)