There is no road walked...

...that doesn't leave it's mark on us, body and soul.  It is easy to fall into if, and if only. If only I had, or if only they hadn't I'd be so much happier now. Beware such thoughts indulged for more than a passing glance, for they can only invite bitterness and regret into a life.  No one can reconstruct their life as a simulation to know such things with certainty.  Such simulations are beyond the scope of mortals, and where God could most likely take a real good guess even he would still be guessing to a degree so long as his children have the free will to choose the roads they'll travel.  If and if only are dangerous, they have a backbite and leave an aftertaste.

Gypsy Locket...

I met her in a locket an old crone gave to me

for helping get her little cat safely down a tree.

It must have been near six weeks before I looked to see

just what was in the bauble I earned by skinning knees.

I tripped the catch, drew a gasp, my heart lit like a flair

I knew I'd seen her somewhere, but tell me lord, just where? 

You wouldn’t think a man could lose a face like that to air.

It came the wonder owned my days, by night it was my care,

the image changed with every glance, simply quite unfair

the way she'd hold me with her eyes, pin me with that stare

demanding I should find her home and take her locket there.

It drove me mad, I swear it did, I drank and schemed and hid

yet every hour on the hour I had to flip that lid.

Soon enough I figured out it had to be a curse,

maybe she’s a voodoo queen,

or maybe something worse,

there simply is no telling what’s to find

hid in an old maid’s purse.

So back across the road I went a bit the worse for wear,

looking like a hobo child who’d never combed his hair

and sure enough there she was waiting in her chair.

I handed her the locket, said ma’am just what is this?

Ever since I opened it my life's gone all amiss.

She took it up by the chain, her eyes went very soft

as if she was about to cry for something she had lost.

"Lad," she said "now seven times I've give this to a man

and every one has brought it back to set it in my hand.

Every one has said the same, said it took his head,

said it clouded all his thoughts, put trouble in his bed.

"I do not know how or why this locket has been cursed

always coming back to me the man turned for the worse

unless it was the gypsy man who crafted it for me

way back in the great world war of nineteen forty three.

"You see my love was shipping out, off for France he said

and I was total terrified that he’d come home quite dead.

The gypsy seemed to understand, said he'd use his best

spell of love to strengthen hearts then leave to God the rest

of what was to become of us to meet the mortal test.

"But fate conspired against me, they left by dark of night,

I didn't get to give my man love's token trinket bright

and now it seems I can't be free of gypsy magic's might

a kindly man installed in this to calm a poor girls' fright."

Twas just single moment, a flickering blink I'm sure

I saw her as she'd been back then, a sparkle of a girl

fertile as the fruited grove, a heart so hot and pure

to burn beneath a locket's lid these many years of world.

I took the locket from her hand, kissed a wrinkled brow

and all the years whirling blew into the mist somehow,

when the world leveled out she is as she is now.

And so I say to you my friend don't trust what's to be seen,

date her by appearance, proud breasted panther lean

moving like a dancing breeze across a rainbow sheen

She's ninety years of life and love…

                                    … inside those skin tight jeans.

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For Charlie