Vernon's Ladder

Vernon’s Ladder

bathed in arc light

down the garden shed

in the arabesque

of an old string vest

Vernon makes a ladder

 to keep his spirits up

now to be fair

there’s a nip in the air

so slipping into the house

and greeting his spouse

he fixes himself a hot toddy

but while he’s in there

the nip in the air

blows over a candle

that lights up the handle

of the brush he had used with the varnish

poor Vernon’s ladder was razed to the ground