Monsieur Tickle
A business associate
Of my pater
Me aged four
Monsieur Tickle
Oft would visit our home
And tickle me
And tickle me
And tickle me
At first
I felt tickled
At second
I felt uneasy
At third
I felt scared
I didn't understand
I thought being tickled
Was mean't to be fun
Not of terror
After a while
When Monsieur Tickle visited
I would hide
Just two years ago
I mentioned this
To my sister
Who remembered well
This tickling mister
This sinister mister
Monsieur Tickle
As he tickled her too
And shared the same dread as i
And also shied
And would hide
As he evoked
So much fear
Whenever he was near
Yet he left
Our two brothers alone
(The third had not yet been born)
So whenever
I have to pretend
During acting practises
As part of a creative warm-up
I find myself
Having to act
As the others enjoy
The fun of it
Their own memories
Of being tickled
Untarnished
So i try to pick up on their vibe
Whilst i inwardly cringe
And cry
Monsieur Tickle
Now, no doubt
Lies in the company of worms
Yet still makes me squirm
The vermin now lies
With vermian

by Jemia