A circle of faces
smiles and frowns
ears listening
to the readers words
the rhythm of the voice
as it rise and falls
in mellow tones
a snigger, a laugh
as humour surfaces
over some joke
whom the reader has missed
slowly the story ends
a silence reins
its sad ending
has stunned them all
reader and listener.
24 October 1979
David Harris
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/early-works-reader-and-listener/