"King of Hearts"

The king of hearts, tired and old,
his hand shakes around the dagger he holds.
His face is now battered, his eyes barely sane,
yet the King of Hearts he does remain.

He has two faces, two minds, two crowns
each pressing hard, their weight drags him down.
Even as two he is ever alone,
but King of Hearts he is to the bone.

He has pushed the knife into his eye,
but having no life, he cannot die.
Worn with despair, the king sheds his crown
and sighs, King of Hearts, as the blood trickles down.

Each of us, as children, had a king in our hearts
with a noble face and a greatness apart.
But the world can erode his gentle smile,
though King of Hearts is he all the while.

   -allie
