IT TAKES ALLSORTS

it was an old
fashioned sweet shop
as if it had stepped

out of another
century
lost to time

something
that could only
exist in memory

I asked for gobstoppers
but the assistant was insistent
that they had not got 'em

despite the fact that
he had one in his gob
and that there was a jar

full of nothing
but
gobstoppers

the same when
I asked for Allsorts
again another "NO!"

all the Allsorts
in the big glass jar
looked longingly at my mouth

"Oh please!" they pleaded
"Choose us...chew us!"
but all to no avail

they were there
but
not for sale

it was like being
in some ring
of Dante's Hell

"Go on...*** out of it!"
the shopkeeper yelled
"You can't fool me!"

"****** aliens!" she shouted
"Coming over here and
nicking our sweets!"

I grabbed whatever
I could lay my several
tentacles on

and made a dash
back to the spaceship
almost out of breath

"Did ya get the sweets
did ya...did ya!"
the crew chanted

"Yes...yes..yes!" I sweated
"Now...get out of here
QUICK!"