26/30

Victory Boogie-Woogie (P. Mondrian)

The actuary's day-planner

contains a chart of his own devising

that estimates on any given day

the odds of his receiving a surprise party.

For this contingency, in the folding-

chair-tan file cabinet marked personal,

an interoffice manila envelope, filled

with perfect centimeter squares

of identical confetti, in the small variety

of ISO-9000-approved colors

recommended for festivity. Filed

under 'C' of course--for confetti

or perhaps contingency.

It would be no surprise

if he threw the packet

into the merry fray and each

paper flake fell to the ground

at right angles, chaos snapped

to grid. Unlikely, sure,

but possible, and not the fault

of the accounting department.

The typing pool set up joy

on a blind date with the calendar

and they both disappeared

for a long weekend and came back

married. Now too many parties

celebrate unfinished things.