The Price of Foolish Pride

The sands expand before his eyes
    And stretch across the earth.
He craves the tears that heaven sends
To save what Hades never lends—
    To him a million worth.

With pride, he boasted to the crowd
    The day he gave his talk
That strength would surge to let him fly
Above the sands that were so dry
    That only Death could walk.

He crawls and hopes the sun will spare
    His blistered flesh this day.
Lamenting all that he had vowed
In arrogance to please a crowd,
    He bows his head to pray.

But faith was not a strength he knew,
    And so his words were bare.
Devoid of hope, he stares ahead
And grasps that soon he will be dead,
    Despite his woeful prayer.

He then accepts a destiny
    That no one can defy.
So now he waits for Death to care
And save him from a hungry pair
    Of vultures circling high.

Note: Hades = the common grave