No Magic by Barbara Rose

Sleight of hand
was never
his forte.

When he snatched
the cloth
that lay beneath
her exquisite setting
nothing
remained upright.

Every last piece tumbled,
to the boards,
shattered,
as everyone in the audience,
except her,
expected.

With a flourish of his cape,
he exited, stage left,
and trod,
heedless,
over the wreckage.
No wiser,
bound
for yet another
unsuccessful engagement.



Barbara Rose is a retired marketing consultant from Connecticut who began writing poetry in 2019, inspired and encouraged by a poet friend. Nearly 50 years late, she is finally putting her English major to good use.