The Leathereyes
In a magical swamp, amidst the murk,
an evil old Leathereyes once did lurk.
So doggoned mean and awful was he,
that hate and anger was all he could see.
Anyone who dared come near,
ran quickly from him, their life in fear!
He couldn�t bear himself I must confess,
and his life, quite sadly, was a mess!
Animals who lived there too,
feared the angry one, who
could grab a �gator by the jaw
and rip it�s teeth out with his paw.
So sad was life for the poor creature,
that you and I just could not feature
what would make one all that mean,
what would make this creature, green,
to act in ways that were atrocious,
and make himself so darned ferocious.
It seemed, and this I know is true,
that long ago, there once were two
of these green creatures living here,
amid the �gators, snakes and deer.
They hadn�t always been this way,
the pair was gentle... quite okay.
They would walk amid the swamp
and not upon one thing they�d stomp.
They�d change their path to keep from harming
another thing...They were so charming!
But one day, she went for a stroll,
amidst the flowers ... off she stole.
This part is where things get quite hazy,
she never came back.. and he went crazy!
Just one was left, so all alone.
The light was gone, that once had shone
in the life of this one green,
he mourned her, then he turned quite mean.
His days were long without her there,
he just no longer seemed to care.
His manner soured, he cared no more.
He hated and hated, right to his core!
The Leathereyes� appearance contorted,
and his life also became distorted.
The face that once had held a smile,
had now an expression.. oh, so vile!
His hair, a frazzly, unkept mess,
was disgusting, nothing more or less.
No bath or change of clothes he did,
and others, from his stench...they hid!
One day, he had an idea, repulsive!
He thought it up, he was compulsive.
He though he�d go out in the swamp,
and find some flowers he could stomp,
and smash them all, so none could bloom,
and that way, spread more of his gloom.
Well, out he went just like he planned
and stomped and tore up all he scanned.
Until the last bloom was destroyed,
then happy, at his created void,
he stood with glee upon his face
and laughed, as he surveyed the place.
The laughter didn�t ease his pain,
he stomped and snorted once again.
He rampaged through all parts of there,
ripping, tearing, without a care.
His bluster had caused quite a riot,
but now, he sat and heard the quiet.
The deer and others all were gone,
except just one.... a tiny fawn.
She watched from off behind a tree,
she watched, afraid of what she�d see.
Afraid, at first of this green thing,
but then, she felt a hurt... a sting....
somewhere deep down, �twas in her heart.
She walked up to him, not far apart
rom the creature who sat so still.
She looked at him, sitting there so ill.
He stared right back into her eyes,
and then, he saw that look so wise,
that once had been in HER sweet eyes!
He thought he�d never see again,
that look, that last he had seen when,
SHE had gone upon the stroll
and not returned.. The poor, sweet soul.
The fawn approached, and stood quite near.
The Leathereyes reached out,
and touched her ear.
He touched it and in that split second,
it changed his life, right there, I reckon.
�Cause, magic happened, and it was quick!
The fawn gave that grumpy paw a lick..
And something happened, no one�s quite sure,
(magic has it�s own ways to cure.)
The earth stood still nearly a minute,
it changed their world and all within it.
The fawn was really his old, sweet joy!
She�d fallen, as a sorcerer�s toy..
That mean old magic man had changed her
into the fawn, and rearranged her..
All he�d left , had been the eyes,
the ones of the fawn, put in disguise.
But when she�d seen him sitting there,
something, deep down had made her care.
No spell of magic could be made,
no power large enough to trade
the love they�d had for one another.
As if bad magic could ever smother
the love, this Leathereyes duet had felt
it was there yet, as he knelt
on his old and creaky knees,
knelt, and begged her.. would she please
forgive him of his rude behavior?
Forgive him... he pleaded for her favor.
She did! And when his paw, she licked,
something chimed, something clicked!
The spell was broken there and then,
she was back, with him again!
The love was there, just like before,
they romped and played and even more!
Their days are now filled as they should,
with happiness and all things good.
All is happy with them, forever,
they hug and laugh...love is so clever!
This story is to tell of waiting
for love to come..and not of hating.
Leathereyes are out there!
Look around, you�ll see them stare
from someplace high, or maybe low,
and when you find them....
you�ll just know.
Title by Wm. Henri Baker
Copyright
1998-2001
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