The Drawbacks of Immortality and Love - CS Carroll

A poem I wrote some years ago, this is the story of beautiful girl, her lover, and the tragedy that consumed them as told by a tavern bard. A young man went for a walk one day Moved into the forest early one May With a bounce in his step and light in his heart He wandered there gaily but stopped with a start Standing alone at the end of the road He was watching the antics of an old bull toad When all of a sudden the old frog leapt And unveiled a talent at which it was adept With a spin and a swirl, a hop and a skip It moved and it twisted, ending with a flip It looked up at him with surprise on its face And started to flee, so on was the race Over hill and over dale, even down a dusty trail He pursued that old bull frog, was hot on its tail When quick as a wink it vanished and before him stood A maid with green cloak and deep dark hood She cried out, “Stop!” but so suddenly had appeared That around her there was no way that he could have steered With a crash and a tumble and a big KERSPLAT! He careened into her and knocked her down flat 'Twas then he discovered his assumption had been wrong It was her that he chased, not an old bullfrog Eyes gold and flecked with black, hair green as grass Skin smooth with greenish tinge, she was a gorgeous lass As he arose she leapt to her feet, an angry flash in her eye But he realized how hurt she was as she started to cry As soon as it began it did subside as she rallied her pride And emotion began to grow in him impossible to hide Her eyes burned like copper, hair flashed as emerald Sinew and tendon danced beneath flesh as if to herald A lashing such as has never been known on earth or below And every bit was focused and bent upon him to bestow He cried, “No!” but, alas, it was too late The blow with which she struck was filled with angry hate He ducked, but, lo, he was much too slow to dodge For with mere human reflex there was no escaping the barrage As her senses returned, though, she felt pity return And knew no harm was meant, eyes extinguished their burn She ceased her attack, but the damage was done His descent into death had already begun He knew not what happened for a long period of time But when he awoke he saw her face through eyes full of grime He realized the eyes with which he saw weren’t what had been his For beneath the roots of a tree was he, never would he fit as this Questioningly he looked to the one he saw For answers he knew would reveal to him all She saw them on his face and after careful consideration She haltingly gave him a brief explanation “Your life spark was lost except for one small piece, “ said she “And that small piece did I bring here with me” With care and concern did I nurture that spark And at last did I fan it up from the dark.” “But,” says he, “What am I now beneath this tree? What have you made me, what am I, pray thee?” “You are naught else than your desire, within there was a fire To be with me for eternity in a life that doesn’t tire.” “But what am I, pray tell, to what do I look forward? I know that I have changed, but life continues onward.” “You have become like me, a toad to most, forever. My companion you will be, love that will never sever.” And they lived that way, in love and creation of life But she knew that one day to his heart would come strife For mortal creatures desire immortality it’s true, yes, so true But reality is, a mind must rest when death becomes due So he faded away, though fight it she did Her prince forever from her eyes was hid And though she knew ‘twas a pity to cry She wished somehow that she too could die She mourns the lost love, but life goes on for her She dances in the forest and ne’er a creature does stir But at the end of a lonely road her eyes may well with tears As grief besieges her, as it will for all her years