Alone I stood in the terrible wood,

But, alas, tears would not come,

For I’d never lied and always tried,

But she was as heady as rum.

Away I fled from our fine wed,

Far away into the trees,

Away from fears and insolent jeers

To where I could do as I please.

But fall, did my feet, down like sleet,

Into a ditch in the leaves.

Deeper I went, but no landing was lent,

So I was soon lower than thieves.

The screams leapt, not to be kept,

As I plummeted into the hole,

Away from the light, into a plight,

And toward the Earth’s own soul.

“Please, halt! I’m not at fault!”

I wailed into the dark.

“I’m punished for things no more,

So please, I beg, do hark!”

I realized then, I wasn’t right when

I repented for my sins.

They were mine, despite my whine,

No matter my perpetual din.

I thought and thought with all I’d got,

And came to the conclusion

That I’d often lied, and seldom tried,

And my grace was an illusion.

I was not true, not rid of rue,

And definitely not just,

For I’d left them there, ran like a hare,

And severed our binding trust.

She did no wrong, the whole time long,

And kept herself upright.

Despite my crime and wasted time,

She’d never been uptight.

But there were more I’d thrown ashore

In my voyage for great fame;

Father, Mother, Maribeth, and Brother,

All for reasons the same.

I had such passion, was always in fashion,

And stood up for what was right,

But I did not know that what I sow

Would be reaped on this very night.

I kept up my fall, and for company, the wall,

As I sped down to my end,

Into the deeps, where all evil creeps,

For my fate had been penned.

I desperately prayed that my debts could be paid

And that my wrongs were not too deep,

That I could be satisfactory,

And my life, perhaps, I could keep.

Wailing so great, and trying to sate

The demons who ordered my end,

I pleaded with tears for all my years,

That I could halt this trend.

A floor, I then saw; Satan’s maw,

Where I would greet my death,

So I faced myself and embraced

Myself, for there, I’d have no Maribeth.

I closed my eyes, a decision most wise,

For I would never have understood

What happened there, on a night so rare,

With the blessing so very good.

There came a great thud as I landed in mud

At the bottom of the ditch,

No rock or stone, no devilish throne,

To punish the vain and rich.

I hurriedly stood and straightened my hood

To thank the Lord almighty.

“Praises to thee, and I shall now be

Bettered and humbled, not flighty!”

I smiled as wide as the ocean tide,

For she was waiting for me.

With lovely pearls would be that girl,

Greater than I’d ever be.

The branches dense slapped me into sense,

So I picked up with fervor my pace.

I could see with no falter, that aisle and altar,

And her sugar-sweet bonny face!

The church stood high over the wood,

Towering with a splendor its own.

I leapt through the door and across the floor;

Soon the organ would puff and moan.

In the rows, they sat, still in idle chat,

So the wedding was soon to come.

Before the first pew, I rose up to

Greet my whole life’s own sum.

I waited quite long for the wedding song,

As kin muttered under there breath,

“Will she show?” “I really don’t know.”

But waltzing in was my Maribeth.

Adorning her was not the plush fur

Or silk that lavishly unfurled.

That lass wore no jewels galore,

But a smile to charm all the world.