There Was A Fifth Head (Poetry)

The painting was old
and needed a clean
a specialist job
a task overseen
by an expert eye

Peeling the dirt from
the age-darkened paint
where once was a space
appeared ghostly-faint
the shape of a face

Surprise — excitement
from all those involved
the features clearer
as black grime dissolved
its secret revealed

But who was this man
the artist once hid?
quite heinous no doubt
whatever he did
to end up brushed out ...

The other four heads
a balanced quartet
who seem to ignore
the fifth one — yet this
intrigues all the more