The Woman in the Restaurant

She was all charm and loveliness,
Not one of God's angels could rival
The rosy blush or the sweet dimples
Or the enchanting smile ever so cordial.

Captivating, yes, and sophisticated too,
A sweet word for all and well to do,
She was always the Captivator
And was ever more so with this stranger.

The man got up, a question in her eyes,
She looked uncertain,
Then, decided, she looked down,
All was put aside, even the charming curtain.

She was then what she always was,
A cunning little imp from hell,
A sneer played 'pon her lips
Distorting her face as well.

The purse was opened, a pill abstracted
And mixed with the wine's blood,
A bitter-almond smell wafted through the air,
"Death is in the air", it said.

The door then opened to let a man in
And on the face of Death was worry,
Here was a flaw, she realised that
Her plan could easily miscarry.

"Well, Dear, I hope no one
Was troubling you out here."
Said the husband, as the wife blushed,
Gone was the evil sneer.

He then lifted his glass of wine
And slowly took a sip,
His eyes were fixed on his wife's face,
They noted the quiver of the lips.

Her face was drawn in pure horror,
Too numbed to speak, too dazed,
Oh! What ill-luck! Days of meticulous
planning all in an instant failed!

The man clutched his throat
Shrieked, staggered and died,
The lady bowed her head, muted
by grief, and cried.

"Must it end so, Dear,
Could you not have known
That the poison was meant
For the evil that was sown."

She knelt down and clasped his hand,
Gone was the worry, gone was fear,
The Charmer of Hearts was gone,
The Sad Mourner was here.

The door then opened and the stranger
Made an appearance again.
"Okay, now, enough I say,
You have no big reason to complain.

The plan was almost flawless, Darling,
But, if I may say so, this is over-acting."

A shadow played 'pon her lips,
Was it shock? Was it scorn?
Was it the Devil forming a plan?
Whatever it was, in an instant, 'twas gone.

The lady smiled and stood up,
She was all charm and loveliness.