April 1st

THE BEAST WHO ATE THE WORLD

Harken now unto my voice and hear my tale of woe
Of darkest day and blackest hour that any shall ere know
In form unlovely yet not unkind the beast it did appear
Its vapid grin did masque the maw that men would grow to fear
A simple and a friendly brute his countenance proclaimed
Yet deep within there lurks such sin that none would dare to name

The shadowy terror came unto me a seeming harmless stray
Oh curse the pity that bade my heart to take him in that day!
Cursed be the bed I made, and cursed be the bowl
From which I gave it sustenance, and so condemned my soul
Cursed be the misty twilight, where by the dimming of the lamp
O’rtaken with parental mood, I called the monster “Champ”

O bitter fate! O cruel gods to see a demon born
As awful scenes did greet my eyes with coming of the morn
The hungry beast did eat its food, its bed, its bowl and all
It ate the tiling of the floor, and plaster on the wall
O’recome with rage, I swore an oath, and struck out with my foot
And between the willing and the act the beast devoured my boot

Many evil deeds then came, too many to even tell
Suffice to say the mouth of Champ was as the mouth of Hell
Many are the hurts it caused for the world Doom was sealed
As all the monster look’d upon became its gruesome meal
None left alive the tale to tell, save one who did befriend
And for one act of kindliness, saw the world come to an end