The Forest of Red Leaves

We are drunk on decadence and wine
I will not lie to you
And even if I do, my words are still sweet
As I lie only for rubies and other jewels
To add to my treasures
And you too will lie to me
And we will whisper sweet lies to one another
The scent of opium makes it not hard
To create the webs of deceit that we so like to spin
Come! Sit on my cushion
The young will soon be disillusioned
I will write you a poem
That will describe all as the wicked see

The Winter Heart
She walks alone from the woods
Icicles dripping from the branches overhead
Of the trees she left behind
White snow covers the landscape
Nothing else can be seen
A fine layer of snow dusts her cape
Her cape of finery - black wool and red
Cannot be seen under the snow which dusts her cape
Red apples hang like ruby jewels from the branches
What are they doing there! It is winter
They should not be there
Yet they blossom there finer than any other flower
In the midst of spring
For you and I know
That it is only the jewels which remain so beautiful
In the chill of the frost
Her cloak flutters along the ground
Hard and hoary with frost
Her feet crunch upon the ice
Are our hearts as cold and frosty as the diamonds of snow?
I don't know
Nor you
Perhaps some day our hearts will melt
But do we really want such a thing to happen?