The Book Of Illusion (Poetry)

The print has faded
hard to see since time has rubbed away
dulled the edges of bright dreams
that dazzled once
all those pretty naïve pictures
I believed were visual promises
and life could really be like that
you had to work to make the dream come true

The theory was quite simple
eye on the prize and don’t give up
it isn’t where you start
it’s where you finish
and yes — you too can be like them
those rich successful smiling ones
be confident and just keep on
believing in yourself

Step by step — what could go wrong?
Looking back there must have been
some small print that I missed
about certain frogs-cum-princes who
I did or didn’t kiss
and left me beached on this sad isle
hope can no longer reach
the story’s much too old and glass slippers
                                                don’t exist