“Once upon…” the story goes

Of dragons, knights and kings

And only those who are swift of heart

May capture all these things

But what about the heavy heart

The one who must traverse

The child that wilts beneath the thumb

Of chapter, line and verse

Who carries through this weighty life

An old and rusty sword

And hears the battle cry again

Repeated word for word

Do not look back my soulful child

My hero strong and brave

Hold no more within your heart

The wanderings you crave

Look no more into your eyes

To find the caverns deep

Past the ogre citadel

Into the dragon’s keep

Search no more for lonely souls

Lost beneath the crags

Strewn about by blighted dreams

Like old discarded rags

For what was dark, will find great light

In places never known

The  search to find the greatest gem

Will bring the traveler home