The lost earring

The earrings were a present

From the other side of Earth

I put a value on them

Far more than they are worth

I always store them neatly

In a handy little box

In separate compartments

Made for Marks and Spencer chocs

Today, as I got ready

To meet a friend for tea

I thought I’d wear the earrings

She had kindly bought for me

“Hang on,” I thought, “This morning

there were definitely two”

What happened to the other one?

I didn’t have a clue

I curse my short-term memory

Which never lets me know

Just where I left my glasses

Less than half an hour ago

Yet somewhere in my cranium

Though Lord knows how it fits

I keep the whole back catalogue

Of Dusty Springfield hits

No use to ask my husband

From my experience past

I know exactly what he’ll say

“Where did you have it last?”

So I gave up the pointless quest

Of searching far and near

Of course, you know what happened next?

I found it … in my ear

Vermeer’s girl with the earring pearl

He painted sideways on

Was this because, do you suppose

She’d lost the other one?