Breakdown

She was 19 and very pretty
high school girl smile
and eyes that said .. . .maybe.

By economic theory scarcity increases value
and competition
shortage equals price increase
acute shortage equals highest bidder
supply and demand.
In McMurdo in winter
where men were men . . . . and women few
those who would, or might
could pretty much have what they wanted.
She did
for a while
and then accepted another tender
without informing the now former.

Perhaps she thought intuition would
or bush telegraph.
Popular forensics said sound distracted reason
rumour said it was the steepling ecstasy of coupling
the Master Of Arms said it was straight from ‘The Shining’
a madman with a shovel
a traitorous shovel
issued to every hallway to break out of snow clasped buildings
now breaking in.

The drywall was easily replaced
the door and frame repaired.
She still looked 19
but her eyes seemed much older.

For the back story click Backstage