Word of the Day: Draw

London, England — 1872

The séance in the drawing room
Was bound to be much fun.
The Typist and her husband
Invited everyone.

The party sat around the board
With fingers on the planche.*
They giggled with excitement —
All waiting for the launch:

          "Phantom Farer of the Seas,
          Show us you are here.
          We have come to ask of thee
          Something diamond-dear.
          Did you leave your Treasure Trove
          Hidden in these walls?
          Secret stones and buried bones —
          Show them to us all."

The table shook then broke in half —
The planche flew 'cross the room.
A musty shadow then appeared
And bellowed future doom:

          "My Treasure in the Wall
          Was found by one of you.
          There's pretence in this party 
          And you don't have a clue.
          So fetch a polished blade. 
          It's time to play my game —
          To find the Treasure Thief
          And slice apart his Name!"

___________

* planche refers to planchette — a small heart-shaped piece of wood, used as a movable indicator to spell out messages during a séance

Banner image: Séance conducted by John Beattie, Bristol, England, 1872 from the Eugène Rochas Papers held at the American Philosophical Society Library.