God knows we've both been around the block
and stood in many lines. The old movies keep
cranking. When you spin your tales, the clock
stops. I need to concentrate and take a deep
breath. I listen as though my life depended
on it. Your ancient mariner's eyes skewer me.
The plots thicken. You tell me how you fended
off one disaster after another. Prisoner of catastrophe,
your life unfolds just this side of death.
Could be the astonished Caliph was heard to say-
when Scheherazade paused to catch her breath-
"I've hearkened to a lot of yarnmeisters in my day,
hawking calamities and close calls too.
One more won't matter if she's as plucky as you."