Alice
O. Howell
THE
ALCHEMIST
I knew a golden man
who had a golden wife
for all the awesome privilege
he led a silver life
his fortunes were unsteady
his slippers made of tin
and climbing up to bed at night
they made an awful din
quicksilver were his daughters
of iron was his son
but by a copper-headed beauty
his fate was then undone
all metals became coins to him
to pay a lover's wiles
her flesh seemed made of petals
and oh! her flower-secret smiles!
he smelted and he melted
distilling down to lead
an alchemy of error
that left him almost dead
his tinctures and elixirs
were spilled upon the earth
till the proper putrefaction
gave homuncular rebirth
today he is a wizard
who wears a cotton gown
who cannot touch a metal
or smile without a frown.
a.o.howell