understanding

illustrations by eddie el greco

understanding is crucial very soon they will arrive with their waistcoats and questionnaires they will accept no excuses not even for youth and comeliness or the yawning void king arthur himself can not save us barricaded as he is behind his walls we must be courteous and evince no sudden outbursts of despair after all we are not elephants and look forward to no tigers on the horizon greatness has surely eluded us and happiness is not even a dream we can not plead ignorance just when the train is arriving keep a copy of the proceedings but do not let them see you secretly smile many documents are yet to be released and no one - not even ajax - will read them all outside a bird is singing inside a parrot is listening - or a panther who may already have reached his quota but be keeping a gazelle in reserve so that is the way of it it is troublesome to be sure uncle jonathan would never have understood dedicated as he was to the concept of total victory