an irreversible spell

it was illustrious, gooey and mouthwatering
so many layers of double chocolate and strawberry filling
topped in thick icing with a garden of multicolored flowers
resembling a winning horticultural show —
it was enough desert for one hundred, at least
though children were given smaller pieces
and those resembling Hagrid
had enough to satisfy their appetites —
magical, there was always more than enough
for everyone partaking in this great pleasure

slowly the enormous double-decker cake
disappeared, until at last, after an hour
(it seemed like more, so much merriness there was)
one last wedge with a perfect yellow tulip
went unclaimed… suspense ticked away…
would it be possible to share what remained?
suddenly a clown appeared from nowhere
with a sombrero filled with colorful slips of paper
one for each of the guests, big and small
after each had drawn their (hopefully winning) number
he told a joke about a rebellious slice of cake
not wanting to disappear, indeed refusing to do so
forever forgotten by the attendance

and he suggested, hoping to preserve this last instant
of happiness shared by so many,
that he summon the magical mage (he appeared)
then implore him to cast an irreversible spell (which he did)
and now the last slice of illustrious birthday cake
(by the way, no guest could tell you
whose birthday it had been –
maybe the troubadour poet’s, they surmised)
lay preserved eternally on its silver platter
like a slice of petrified rainbow delicacy
to remain a reminder of friendship
glad tidings (and gluttony)
and how, even the great and the insignificant
may find joy in the simple pleasure
of celebration together

an irreversible spell
[2007.6.9…a]
Written for the Writer’s Cramp
(38 lines, 271 words)