HE struck me! <br />A man I scarce knew, 'though he had <br />my name, <br />Came into my office repeating the same, <br />And talked for a moment of this and of that; <br />Remarked that he thought I was putting on fat; <br />Referred to the weather, repeated a tale <br />That I laughed at because 'twas exceedingly stale, <br />And then when I said: 'I am busy today, <br />Whatever you've come for I wish you would say;' <br />He struck me. <br /> <br />He struck me! <br />He struck me without any reason at all, <br />For a second I staggered and thought I should fall; <br />This stranger who'd asked of the health of my wife, <br />My cousins and aunts, and had picked up my knife <br />To manicure nicely his finger nails, while <br />He used up my time in his own breezy style; <br />But I said: 'Make it short. I am busy;' and then <br />He struck me— <br />Yes, boldly he struck me—for ten!<br /><br />Edgar Albert Guest<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/he-struck-me/
