Play the game, hold the rule,
Come up to scratch when I squawk.

Men might dissent, get out of line,
Leave the path, go out of bounds,
Stretch a point, drive a coach
And six - but not to be undone
By normal, real, and naturalistic,
Usual, ordinary, commonplace,
As matter of course, expected things
Prescribed and regulated -
I welcome abnormal eccentricity!
Mis-creations, freaks and monsters.
Only quirks of Fate by mistake -
Create basilisks or minotaurs.

FIGURES and NUMBERS

Let us figure, let us number,
digit count, cast and score.
Let us total, let us tally,
The whole including aliquot.
Let us reckon, let us rehearse,
Count noses, call the roll ...
Let us tell, let us tot-up,
Keep a check as we go.
Let us list, let us line-up,
tabulate, screen and scroll.
Let us calend, let us cadre.
Log .. roster ... poll.

Am I to stand alone?
Exclusive, single, removed, apart
When I am lonesome, on my tod,
A sole - per se detached ....?

We could be mates, coupled, matched,
Twinned, braced, yoked, teamed ...
Tete a tete, a heavenly twain,
A starry twilight pair engaged