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Yon lives a city dearth of purpose,
Surviving with incurable curses.
Glowing green grass grows around.
Water rushes, silent in sound.
White pasty buildings line the plain.
Happiness has left, but the people remain.

In this bleak city, lacking wonder,
The people traverse frail from hunger.
They starve not for food, nor money, nor love.
Freedom is what they’re famished of.
They’ve plenty of company, time, and water.
They’ve anything a city could need to prosper.

But cursed be these healthy beings.
Shown on their sombre skin’s the readings
Of ****** rapacity from their King,
Left with despair and decrepit scenes.

With qualm in their veins, they serve their ruler.
The people obey Him with death on their shoulders.
They carry hope, their lore, and illicit sin
As they stroll through the city with dismal within.
'The City Surviving with Dismal Within' is an ekphrasis poem inspired by the art "View of Toledo (Vista de Toledo)" by El Greco
Welcome to the House of Dix,
Where Otto Dix was alive but sick.
In this room, where we play,
Otto took his life and his name.
He hung himself to relieve his pain
And ‘Hangman’ was the name they gave.
His story has been shared for years and, in fact,
It is told that if you enter a match
There is no escape and no turning back.
So, think twice, and do not lapse.

To play his game, it is very simple,
What lies before you: one paper, one pencil.
The Host and Players must gather about.
The Host of the game must then shout,
‘Hangman! One Host...’ and the number of guests.
You will hear a bell that confirms your request.
Each Player is given three hints and three hints only.
Not per hour, not per round, but throughout the entirety
Of the game. If you are out of hints, you may need to worry,
Because no more is given, so don’t rush or hurry.

The Player in turn must choose a letter from the alphabet.
But to stay in the game, that letter must be correct.
If that letter is wrong in select,
The Host must draw Hangman’s body to connect.
Once all six body parts of the Hangman is drawn,
The Player in turn of the game is withdrawn.
But if the Player guesses the game right,
They are safe for the round and maybe the night.
If the Player feels that they can solve,
They should and pray that they aren’t wrong.
For if they are wrong, the Host will not draw
The head, the body, a leg, or an arm.
Instead, the Player is hung and gone.

Towards the end of the game, with one Player and one Host,
If the Player guesses correctly, then both can go home.
But if the Player is wrong, they may turn ghost,
And the only one safe to walk is the Host.
A sinister take on a classic children's game where losing not only means failure, but execution.
Up in a tree hath a nest,
Where three little eggs lay at rest.
While mama bird is away,
The tree stands still with eggs that lay.
Up in a tree an egg hath hatched,
And then the second, and then the last.
While mama bird is on a food hunt,
The birds flap their wings and they all jump.
Up in a tree hath a nest,
But down on the ground, three little birds lay at rest.
“Up in a Tree” is a stanza from my poem “The Curse” that was published in my book of short stories and poetry entitled “Unfortunate Short Stories”

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