A Condemned Man's Regrets

With each step he takes,
Across wooden boards; creak,
Towards his fate; he shakes,
His knees becoming weak.

And through his mind shot:
Every moment he'd lost,
Every moment forgot,
And every moment crossed.

A young boy's first love,
Seen across the courtyard:
Young girl; skin, white as dove,
Lips red as fruit orchard.

Remembered her eyes,
Like blue ponds of jewels.
But remembered the lies,
And remembered the fools.

A fond heart given,
From a young boy in love.
But thou's heart was stolen,
By the young girl, thereof.

Another thought dread:
Of a soldier's farewell,
Kiss to his beloved,
Quick, for he cannot dwell.

A sacrifice made,
By a man who was forced,
Wishing he could've stayed,
But his love reinforced.

But oceans apart,
His death most feasible,
It broke her loving heart,
Made second love plausible.

So on his return,
He discovered instead:
Another man did yearn,
Atop his love in bed.

Another does pain:
When his life's dream was stole,
But the devil to blame,
Was a popular troll.

His stories so great,
Were envied by the thief,
But court's judge, he did mate
Found convincing, if brief.

So bias was judge-
Found the thief innocent,
Gave our hero new grudge,
Made revenge imminent.

And revenge he took,
Upon the one's who hurt.
Sinned upon the prayer book,
His faith he did desert.

The knife he did wield,
And the lives he did take.
Four bodies were revealed,
With each, his heart did ache.

Young woman, lips red,
Pale skin, eyes: blue ponds.
Found by family, dead.
With sadness- they respond.

Another woman,
Her partner taken too.
But by the bed, a gun,
A soldier's would be true.

Alas just one more,
A great tale writer.
Usual face at church door,
A well known sin fighter.

But back to present,
As the condemned man walked,
His head in sorrow, bent,
His knees in fear, rocked.

The noose pulled over,
And the black hood pulled down.
His pain worse when sober.
The crowd: all of the town.

As the trap door went,
As his gross body swung,
His last words begged repent,
And still to life he clung.

For, the last regrets,
Of a condemned man's mind,
Can plague his final debts,
And render the soul blind...