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.
