Jonathan Berger's Poetry: Poem of the Day
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FORTUNE 13
…and you will walk down a familiar street
and you will meet striking woman
beautiful and sophisticated and compelling beyond compare.
Do not go to her.
Do not go near her.

You will see this vision of loveliness
this vision of simple perfection
this thing you think you've sought forever and a day
and you will wish to run into her arms
forgetting your name
forgetting your very identity.
It would be a mistake
a tactical error in line with Pearl Harbor
or Jack Kirby's sale of his property to Marvel
too massive to quantify.

To put it bluntly
she is too good for you
too pretty
too mature
too evolved to do you any good at all.
She would reject you
negate you.
She would crush you in the vise-like grip of her pinkies.
Avoid her at all costs.

And even if she'd be willing to be seen with you
to be with you
it would still serve you ill.
She is not right for you.
She would destroy you.
It is not to be.
And she may come after you
this beautiful woman.
She may seek you out
follow you from place to place.
To this, you must react by running.
She is your end
your demise
a small death
and a large
all at once.
You must flee.

And if you ever see her again
if she ever finds you
or if by chance you see her on some unfamiliar street
do what you can to escape her threat.
Find some way to evade her evermore.
And if this sage advice brings you no satisfaction
if you end your days with no happiness
suspecting this fortune was ill timed
or poorly planned…
At that time, you can have your money back.