"Absolutely," he said
Twirling his silver spoon in the sugar
A person less au fait with the absolute,
One has rarely seen.

"Absolutely lovely," she said
Adjusting her make-up in her mirror
What would she know
About Love?

"Wonderful," he said
Thinking all the while of the money,
A word ending in empty would sum it up more aptly,
And I doubt he had wondered for years

"Frightful," she said,
Wrinkling her nose as she held his gaze
How much fear had she felt
This year?

"Absolutely terrible," he said,
"Do have another fairy cake"
Hitler and friends, I feel sure
Would not have agreed on this point.