Author's Note: Mario doesn't belong to me, obviously. This poem is meant to be read without knowing it's about Mario, and then, it's slowly revealed to you at the end. Even so, some people guess what it's about early on.

Enjoy anyway!

WORLD 0

He was fast for a man

His size and height,

Faster than demons

Or creatures that

Pursued, Faster even

Than the treacherous

Landscape that quaked

And shifted and boiled

And lifted. He could

Jump high, higher

Over sharp toothed

Creatures and Bombs

Of war, high enough

To kick a hole in the

Side of a mountain.

When he reached up,

He could catch

The stars that hovered,

Balanced and covered

Amongst the clouds.

He had crossed

Deserts to reach her,

Swam over endless

Oceans, dodged

Electric sea monsters

And metal spikes

To barren plains,

Where he had left

His brother behind

In a grave of sinking

Sand.

Somewhere behind him,

Stone buildings crumbled

In his wake,

And its inhabitants

Cursed his name

As their empires fell.

He was breathing hard now,

Flames alight in his chest,

Sweat streaking down his face,

But he could see the castle

In the distance.

She was there, on the balcony,

Her pink dress aglitter,

Her crown a shimmer,

Leaning over, her hand outstretched,

She called his name

From soft pink lips.

And he smiled,

For her,

Because of her,

And leapt high,

Higher, toward her

Outstretched hand,

Delicate fingers that reached

For her prize.

It emerged from a

Piece of metal

Embedded in the ground:

A plant of some sort,

Teeth like blades

Dripping acid:

It stood in his way,

Seemingly grinning,

Its mouth prying

Open

Slowly,

Slowly,

Where its tongue

Glowed with fire

Like a dragon

Or a demon.

He had no time

To dodge or jump-

He could've jumped-

He was good at jumping-

The flames hit him fully

Against the chest,

Knocking the air out

Of his lungs,

And the creature,

Smiling its jagged

Puzzling grin,

Curled back against

The cold metal.

He saw his Princess,

Tears streaming down

Her face,

Calling his name

Soundlessly

As the reptilian

Dictator that

Ruled over the lands

Stepped forward,

Arms coiling

Around her waist,

Digging his sharp

Claws into her

Pink dress,

Ripping it slightly.

The monster smiled

Down at the fallen

Hero, showing off

All his teeth in

His victory,

And pulled his prize

Back in the castle.

The hero lay there,

Breathing his last

Few breaths, knowing

That he could try again,

Rewind time,

Make things right,

Fix everything,

But how many chances

Before it was all over?

And with that thought,

He stood up again,

In another place,

Another time

To relive the nightmare

Again.