The Man Who Found Out

Dr. Mark Eber was an archeologist
Who once had a cheerful, sunny countenance,
But when he returned from his trip to Egypt,
He hated his life, and so he put an end to it.

His friend, Dr. Laidlow, was the executor
Who came across some strange items of Eber.
They were two small tablets with a translation.
He began reading with great expectation.

When half-way thru it, he fainted dead away.
When he came to, he finished it in dismay.
It explained the meaning of life and death clearly.
It was as obvious as anything could be.

In an ashtray, Laidlow burned the translation,
And in his briefcase, took the tablets with him.
On a ferry home, he dropped them in the sound,
But when he did get home he was very down.

Then he called his good friend, Steve, a hypnotist,
And asked him not to question a request of his.
His last two hours he wanted to forget.
These desires the hypnotist glady met.

Lainlow spent that evening in peace and quiet,
Pleased that he’d soon be done with executor bit
And when he arrived at his desk the next day,
He wondered why debris was in the ashtray.

From a story by Algernon Blackwood.

Ron Larson is a retired community college professor, one of whose hobbies is writing poetry of all kinds. The poem above is from his just completed manuscript,"64 Classic Horror Stories Outlined in Rhyme."

Find more by Ron Larson in the Author Index.

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