Grace

Neglecting spouse on tempting lover lavished champagne and roses luxury car... caviars blue pearls on satin perfumed embracing on burning sands of passion on meadows bed asleep in arms of vices deadness hidden by green of wrapping vines like tree when dead twice night of heat turned ice from corpse in horror running weightless will untrained to resist sucked in by vacuum despairing in God's mercy immersed in pride to pay unpaid bill Love required on its descent to fire looked up to see resplendent more than sun The Spouse springtime of ages reflecting in her gaze opening gate of Paradise her smile divine then shutting. Sixth Place Winner: Brian Strand-No 1240 Unplaced-9/2/23