outside the children play
ignorant of deeds today
the laughter of their game
puts the sweetest sound to shame

the young wife cleans about the house
whislt the cat plays with the mouse
he gambols on a beam of sun
mouse escapes, game is done

but in the closet, fate shall wait
a crying boy full of hate
and fear and tears that scream for aid
no one hears, fate has been weighed

and the youth is to heavy on the scale
for fate is using the very frail
balance to judge his time, is up
water spilling from fates cup

a livid grin and a short drop
a jerking twist, a sudden stop
and in the kitchen the young wife sweeps
and the next room over, death creeps

a child comes in for a drink
and stops a moment just to think
about his brother up the hall
not knowing about the fatal fall

he opens the door and is greeted by
a livid smile and a blank eye
and to his knees the child drops
and outside the childerns laughter...stops