Once Upon a Time

Lost Paradise by Judith

Evie was a lackluster student at Magnolia High

worked part time at the Garden of Eden Flower Shop

then babysat her little brother

while her mother worked the night shift

at the Fairhaven Peach canning factory

She was an average but bored girl

a dangerous combination

Evie found him a bit beastly

but thought his snakeskin boots were really cool

and wanted to feel the leather seats

in his red Dodge Viper

so she asked him for a ride

home from school

Of course, he smiled

and answered "Yesss"

Her mother became fretful

and somewhat envious

Evie sported that look that girls get

when they're in love

supreme happiness mixed with supreme stupidity

Mama knew her baby was headed for a fall

but she couldn't stop it

any more than she could stop

her starry eyed fool of a husband

from buying roses for Valentine's Day

when carnations were cheaper

and lasted twice as long

And so the night came

when he whispered "Let's go

your Mama's at work-she'll never know."

She had never broken her mother's rules before

but he was so tempting

and his lips tasted so good

so she went with him

and spent the night in the Paradise Motel

which it was not

He dropped her off at school next morning

she never saw him again

but did notice

birds stopped coming to her yard

and a black snake appeared in her apple tree

and would not leave.

submitted for Poetry Jam, Paradise Lost