Mcginty's Illusion Poem by Kewal Paigankar

A retired magician has defaulted on the terms of his contract. Now two underworld figures are on his trail..........


Welcome to the world of magic and illusion
In the company of McGinty, the finest
Of all extant and deceased magicians.
Every day he would dine
At the appointed hour
In the same corner of Le Paradis.
Such was his unmistakable routine
Cultivated over several years.
He would captivate people
Hold them totally spellbound
With subtle, delicate movements of his hands.

Tonight they await his arrival
The grand entrance out of thin air
But McGinty has simply disappeared
Not to be seen anywhere.

What gifts he once had!
He thought of himself part man, part god
Just like the mighty Achilles
Son of Peleus and Thetis.
He blocked out the sun
Stopped the world’s clocks
Suspended time and motion
Making us believe in magic again.
Hypnotist, conjurer, illusionist
He held the world in thrall
In the aura of his spell;
It was pure theatre, this display
Of surrealism, wizardry and sorcery!

He had retired in middle age
To Paris at the height of fame.
Weary of strangers
Suspicious of those asking questions
He seemed to live in fear
Tormented by a secret
That his fans couldn’t grasp.
He was under obligation of a debt
Whose repayment was now due.

He had missed the first instalment
There can be no further grace or time
Payment had to be made in entirety
Swift and voluntary.
Dark netherworld twins were on his trail
Relentless in their pursuit
Of a defaulting mortal.

Mephistopheles prowls the streets
By night and every day
He is waiting for McGinty
To honour the contract at once
With interest, without delay.
There are no more tricks
No illusions, no further aces
Up the magician’s sleeve.

When Mephisto comes calling
There is no escape, not even
For the master of illusion
The ultimate conjurer and trickster.
He is fuming, ready to unleash
The full force of his anger;
McGinty’s illusion has cost us dear
We are all in imminent danger………

Now Mephisto is joined by Lucifer
In their quest to salvage honour.
They have never failed before! ! ! !