When you said you would come into my life

And be with me forever and ever, as wife

I thought I'd found a quite perfect gem

Which stuck out as a sore thumb from "them"



But then you told me quite a vivid story

And the beauty you'd been, lost its glory

So I ran back to the other shiny pearl -

The one who (with you) knew me as Earl



And then I was swallowed up in the swamp

As I was immersed in fantasy lit by lamp

Fueled by a gas which was all hot air ...

But I went along with it - as she cared



And the same caring which you'd professed

Disappeared one day after you undressed

Yourself and showed me you were wanting

In other categories, which left me daunting



So I allowed us to become quite apart ...

Just as well - for now you have your art

And a life you would not have known here

But you know darned well, you would have

                      been full of cheer ...



Tristram