Criterion c. 2000

Once upon a story, old, unwritten, 
Titled now, again, stranger than fiction. 
Happenings random, chaotic, reason 
Finding no path, sanity no season. 
Cold winter chills passion’s hottest fire, 
Caught in the swamp’s rotting, putrid mire. 
Stale as sliced bread left four days on the shelf, 
Knowing blame is only mine, to the self- 
Trust no one, will once again be the rule, 
Inside the outside is playing the fool. 
Living without you was never the plan. 
I stand alone, an evil, thoughtless man. 
Realizing at once all of my fears 
As the jaded gods cry emerald tears.