Losing My Marbles Poem by Dónall Dempsey

The bear rears up
against the cuckoo clock

arms outstretched as if
to catch that dammed bird

when it 9
o'clocks!

A tiger snoozes
in front of the fire

unaware of the spark
that throws itself upon

its tattered tail.

Firelight & candlelight
gleams in the beast's deadly eye.

A golden eagle
spreads its wings

above the mantlepiece
as if it would

snatch the gilded frame
that holds a honeymoon.

I am a player
of marbles

upon the floor
nose to the ground

eyeball to eyeball
with my host's tiny son.

We watch in awe
as the blue(slowly) yellow

marble(slowly) rolls into
the tiger's gaping jaws.

'That doesn't count! '
host's son shouts

as the host snorts
awake to see

me with my hand in
the fore mentioned jaws

the tiger's tails
just beginning to catch

'Fire...fire! host roars
throws his G&T

over the smouldering tiger.

The tiger gives up
the blue & yellow marble.

We return to
our little game.

Our host pours
himself into

an armchair
fat as he

and another
G&T.

I lose.

The stuffed animals
snigger.