Beloved Shame

he saw it there though she did not
this monstrosity this hand as it approached
slowly methodically it crept up to her heart
appearing pleasing and desirable to her eyes

she indulged it without knowing
and thus it was too late
with a pounce and a spring it clenched
with strength unknowable it clung to her heart

what was pleasing became contemptible
what was desirable became sordid
the eyes of her heart now saw
and she turned to folly and despair

those gnarled callous digits clenched tighter
the putrid nails cut deeper and deeper
an acrid poison slowly injected
death and shame began to fill her heart

in anguish he watched from afar
powerless in himself
naught else but prayer could he lend
for she had shut her ears

slowly as he observed, her heart began to callous
and as callouses do they became hard
hard from the closeness of her deceit and beloved shame
her once vibrant heart was becoming cold, cold stone