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One Decade
J. Scott Smith
One decade, an instant or a thousand years
Since living ended and existence began
A seventh of a life lost and slipped away
Since love departed and pain assumed the void
Thirty-six-hundred (give or take a few) days
Since happiness fled and melancholy stayed
Ten years have been marked by flows of silent tears
Since you added my name to that forlorn clan
Who lose love and life's zest and willingly stay
Since fate is their captor who with love has toyed
To be sold by vain words to sadness as slaves
Since fools ever believe their hearts can be swayed
Thirty-six-hundred days of torment and fears
Since I found myself victim, cut from the plan
Devised so from you all of me you could flay
Since your heart forgot what of me it enjoyed
As his words hooked you, but too late you see they've
Since lost their lure and their enticements did fade
A decade or not, it's the same on my ears
Since time turns slowly when love abandons man
One day it's years ago, the next yesterday
Since I lost love and then learned love to avoid
Lest I fall in love and my love then betrays
Since love is fickle and lovers masquerade
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