"Gadzooks!" she gasped and staggered back
as she reeled at what she'd heard.
It came like a bolt from out of the blue
delivered in whispered words.

She never saw it coming -
you could see it in her eyes.
Whatever secret those words contained
had taken her by surprise.

Her eyes bugged out, her tongue rolled back,
her jaw dropped to the floor.
Hers was the look of someone
who could clearly take no more.

This woman looked aghast,
astonished and astounded,
stupefied, amazed,
bedazzled and dumbfounded.

When I say that she looked thunderstruck,
please don't get the wrong impression
that I got lazy and used a cliche
from some list of hackneyed expressions.

I MEAN that she looked thunderstruck -
as well as struck by lightning.
The look of shock that filled her face
was absolutely frightening.

What knocked her socks off, bowled her over?
I haven't got a clue.
I can't imagine what secret news
could put her in such a stew.

But there she stood for a long,long while
(I'm not sure how long it lasted).
Everyone there will back me up -
that lady was flabbergasted!