Down Georgia way
a smoldering zine publisher
found a beautiful seamstress
and made love to her
(using the old definition
involving pitching woo
and moving in with her sisters).

He was honest with her
and she knew
he might never amount to much:
just some scofflaw
always getting into trouble
with the powers that be.
But he chose her
and she chose him
in turn.

And with further turns
of the season
they wed
and got closer
and their bond
was like none other he had ever had
until she died
and he realized
that love would not last
and peace could not satisfy
but power
and cruelty
in his hands just might.

As she used to cut cloth
he cut joy from his life
and turned into a thing of steel.