The harsh cold sea harassed and blasted my argosy
The sparse boat’s team won’t outlast the hard boasting
Of bold ocean waves spraying salt, brine, and doled rage
A tempest so senseless its eye roved, blind with old age
We throw crates, into this beast, hoping to stay afloat
Our closed fate, limp in defeat, mostly a pale joke
In the specter of death,… I reflect in regret, the losses it swallowed-
Colossal! -, it followed me off of the wreck and onto the brothels,
Bar brawls in the bottles of breath drenched in the guilt,
Of still living after my men’s flesh entrenched in the silt
Of the ocean floor… what was I hoping for, in prodigality?
Daughter’s home and battling the fret of my fatality
And as I’m rambling, I’m traveling and catch a glimpse
Of a massive mansion, shambling amidst a patchy mist…
As Father arrived, I sighed, cried a river as wide as the divide
That writhed the time Mother had died – See, he pried, he chided,
Derided her, until the spite in her finally dried up the life in her-
But I prefer to give him a kiss…something’s amiss – he’s ghost-like
Here is this rose…white, which I stole,…swiped…so it’s told price is now your life..!
And he holds tight, as he explains that I must go on this cold night
As an exchange for his whole life to be estranged as the sold wife
To a Hermit Baron, masked and vicious, with ghastly visage..
Dad’s asking this with that raspy grimace rehashing Mom’s last three visits, I lack resistance
to that sweet image… I bask within it before I ride off
With a slight cough, fear hard in the gut, and twilight’s soft…
”Welcome!”… silk-smooth timbre of limber prince…
She squints, as cold wind sprints and cinders wince,
A glimpse, of lavender, pinks, and then, resplendent..
The glisten of iridescent gems swing in a pendant…
A chiseled Adonis!..
Be Honest… Are you Amazed?
I’ve no time to play, ‘tis the Beast I am to face…, she stumbled, her gaze
Caught his feet as she was raised –
I’ll bring you his way, no need to be ashamed
Squeeze of her hand, and such lust just flooded over…
He, keeping her glance…and this “trust”!.. .they huddled closer
Then, with a boom, the grand room bombards her senses!
Disarmed, she enters,.. the smell of roses! She discards pretenses
And starts undressing… only cognizant of colors in her consciousness
Such opulence, red-greens and yellow-blues and hues that do not exist!
Topaz and vermillion, crimson and viridian, gold magenta, to aquamarine zinnia!
Felt falling…caught like a flake on a tongue…Melt, sprawling… hot like the blaze of the sun
My darling.., his breath a blistered baking…
Take me…to the.. Beast she whispered faintly…
As you wish.., and the wisps of light, whisked in sight to her blitzed delight…
And as she flinched, her eyes pinched up tight, her chin in flight! He took a swift and instant *bite*.
You see, a merchant’s only known to be as good as his product…
So there’s not much he wouldn’t offer just to get caught up…
I was born to barter, arms for a slaughter, even your daughter..
He would have killed ME otherwise.. and I can’t die! After all… I’m a father.