A Ballad of Future and Past

What if a sage, a gifted mage would flourish, wave their wand,
And history, by mystery would alter, smile, and waltz?

If many tears, sorrows, fears, this mage would help dispel –
Perhaps exists this incantation, elixir, or spell…

Achilles never would have pierced brave Hector to his death –
In heart of battle would have fought the two for “quest of best,”

And Paris would have spoken sooth in diplomatic tongue:
“Athena, Hera, Aphrodite, you’re divine and young,

I cannot crown one beauty queen – all three of you are fair,
And so, I hand you each an apple. Triumph, learn to share!”

What if the empress didn’t pass from poison – snake or vial?
If Cleopatra lived to rule till older age in style…

Two Alexanders wouldn’t die so early in their youth,
And Pushkin would dream on to pen more beauty, magic, truth…

The Macedonian hero-king would conquer distant worlds,
And grow much wiser with the years, preferring words to swords,
The clever Merlin would have loved his sorceress of grace
Yet never let himself be snared, but bear a wizard’s race…

What if King Arthur knew the skill of marriage to the tee?
And said: “Dear Lancelot, good lad, come over for tea:

I much appreciate your love for Guinevere fair,
I say, platonic keep it, pal, despite your flaring flair.”

What if Mercedes and Edmond had wist the hearts of men –
Beyond the mask could read intent, how would their story end?

What if Rom;o and Juliet had known the art and lore
Of solving feuds, of bringing peace, what story’d lie in store?

What if the past had never passed but lay in future yet?
True, many books would disappear – in sadness penned and set,

The spell, the balm, the clever psalm exists, perhaps, or not,
And yet we have right in our palm the spell of fate and lot:

You learn the lore, the rhyme, the score…And lands right in your hand
The art and magic, skill and craft to work spells small and grand –

Untangling feuds, dispelling lies, creating with your quill
What story, sonnet, or sonata that you dream and will,

The recipe for future spells: the ken of hearts of men,
The will to use both word and sword, to dip your magic pen

In ink of dreams, in tones of love for theatre of life,
The knowledge, power, wit, and will to settle silly strife,

A soul of seas, a mind at ease for all that comes to pass…
Perhaps, the rune does not exist to alter things of past,

But, oh, exists that magic spell to pen, compose, and paint
A lovely day, a stellar year, a starry life and fate,


And so, Artist of Your Life, your poem and song await,
Go on and write your future fate, from day to magic day.

And may Mercedes and Edmond, Cleopatra send their smiles…
The ballad now concludes itself in time, in rhyme, in style,

On eve or morn, the spell is born, this yours to use with grace,
Godspeed, oh, Wizard of your World, now paint your magic days!