My eyes roll like peppermints, says Pierre Louis.
Keep going, says Arthur.
Yes I must keep going, says Pierre Louis. What rhymes with peppermints?
I'm not helping you, says Arthur. Find your own rhymes.
I'm quite proud of that line, though, says Pierre-Louis. It came from my heart.
Via your knees says Arthur. I suppose it's not bad.
Faint praise, says Pierre Louis. Is Jeanne Jugan any closer?
Arthur looks over his shoulder.
A black figure is approaching, with two bright yellow eyes.
More like a demon, says Arthur.
That's her, says Pierre-Louis. Does she have yellow eyes?
Yes, says Arthur. She didn't have yellow eyes in her kitchen.
It's her bicycle helmet, says Pierre-Louis. It's painted with two yellow eyes.
The yellow eyes get closer.
Jeanne Jugan catches up.
I've been following trails of blood, says Jeanne Jugan. Whose is it?
Ours, says Pierre-Louis. We both rode into prickle bushes.
I wish I'd seen that, says Jeanne Jugan. I suppose you want ointment and plasters.
No, says Pierre-Louis. Arthur is teaching me to extract poetry from painful emotions. Listen to this: My eyes roll like peppermints.
Let me see, says Jeanne Jugan. If your eyes are rolling like peppermints, that means something is wrong. You may have concussion.
Pierre-Louis looks at her sideways.
His eyes are not rolling like peppermints.
So it was just an expression, says Jeanne Jugan.
A sincere one, says Pierre-Louis. Now I search for a rhyme.
A rhyme with peppermints, says Jeanne Jugan. Is your poem supposed to be funny?
No! snaps Pierre-Louis.
Then I suggest you bury your peppermints somewhere mid-line, says Jeanne Jugan Try a rhyme with roll, or one of the other words.
If he must have a rhyme, says Arthur.
True, says Jeanne Jugan. A rhyme is not necessary.
But Pierre-Louis is determined to come up with something original, but not funny, while retaining the peppermints, and a rhyme.
He is quiet. Then comes inspiration:
With the sharpness of peppermints roll my eyes
From my knees to the merciless skies.
He is pleased.
Who needs a rhyme for peppermints, when one can come up with poetry like that?
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