He follows a dark trail,

He follows a dark trail,

Walking in shadow,

Laughing at the sun,

Wearing the night like a cloak.

The glint in his eye

A badge of honour

He uses to disarm

The unwary

Who may fall for his charms.

His smile, a lop sided,

Crooked grin,

Used sparingly

It dances with life

And can intoxicate

In the half light,

Bedazzling the naive traveller

Searching for a better way.

He offers a hand

To the lonely ones,

With a promise

To guide their process

Of becoming

All they can be,

Using wise sounding words,

That wash the stardust

From the wide eyed.

He empties the pockets

Of the greedy,

And steals the dreams

From tender hearts

With a promise

Of paradise.

He is deceptive

In his delivery,

Entrapment the art form

Of choice.

His, is the nature

Of vice,

And exists to own you.

Be wary of the stranger

Who offers an easy way,

A smooth path,

Avoiding the pitfalls

Of your journey.

If he beckons

From the doorway,

And moves to greet you

Skirting the fall

Of the street lamp,

Whispering his promise,

Intoxicating

And beguiling though

It may be,

On a dark cold night,

Whichever way

The wind blows,

Let it go.

Just let him go.