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// A Nightmare Night Rhyme 
// Story: Three Poems for Discord 
// by Slipshod Extension 
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I dare thee, oh brave one, when night creepeth dark,
If no monster can stand 'gainst thy sword,
Gather cockatrice tears and shaved timberwolf bark
And conjure the chimeras' fell lord.

If thy life would be eased by a falsehood or two,
And thou hast been restrained for too long,
Draw thy breath and spit falsehoods 'til thy face turn blue,
For a lie is his favorite song.

If thou tirest of caring for each little thing,
And thou wishest to straighten thy spine,
Crush the weaklings who whimpering to thy hooves cling,
For to him, cruelty's a fine wine.

If bright laughter and cheer thy long travails mock
And thy heart is bound with barbéd chain,
Share thy misery; destroy of joy every stock
For his sinew's the spreading of pain.

If thy friend hath a treasure which thou dost desire,
Yet which money and love cannot buy,
Keep thy money and love and set her home afire
For his heart is a former friend's cry.

If thou doest for one what she'd not do for thee,
And a slave of thyself thou hast made,
Shed thy bindings and of obligation be free,
For his lifeblood is debt long unpaid.

If the song in thy heart rattles dull in thy head
And in chorus thy voice is ignored,
Grab an out-of-tune fiddle and paint the town red
For his name is a dissonant chord.

And although his coming disappointeth thy hope,
And life becometh chaos and ruin,
If thou demandest aught of him, he'll answer, "Nope--
But you'll soon win a trip to the moon!"