Fallen Angel

My uncle married the only girl

That I’d ever really loved,

I’d thought that she was an angel, sent

Expressly down from above,

But her angel wings were tarnished,

It was money that bought her pride,

She wanted much, but she tried to touch

And I had to stand aside.

 

She said, ‘There’s nothing to stop us

Going out to the winter barn,

As long as we don’t go hand in hand

It won’t do us any harm.

Your uncle is much too old for me

But he’s rich, and wanted a wife,

And I was the one he set upon,

I wanted a better life.’

 

I looked at her in disgust, and then

I think that I almost cried,

‘You’ve taken your vows of love, but now

You’re telling me that you lied!

How could I even think of it

To betray his love and trust,

I’ve always wanted you for my own

As a wife, but not for lust!’

 

She sneered at me so that I could see

The darkness deep in her heart,

‘You’re not going to let a wedding band

Forever, keep us apart?

I’ve only ever loved one, that’s you,

This wedding was simply a steal,

Get over your finer feelings, John,

Come into the world, get real!’

 

I didn’t see her again that day,

And not again for a week,

I stayed inside and I locked the door

Of the cottage, down by the creek.

I don’t know if I was feeling sad

Or hurt by her easy lies,

I’d thought of her as an angel, but

The scales were stripped from my eyes.

 

I saw her next with the stable boy

He looked at her with a grin,

Then went on down to the winter barn

And she shortly followed him in,

I tried to ignore my feelings as

They shut the door of the barn,

But knew, if what I suspect was true,

I’d soon be leaving the farm.

 

My Uncle Joe was a surly cove

But a heart of gold within,

I think he had his suspicions, for

His face was suddenly grim.

I heard their voices were raised at last,

They carried all over the farm,

And that was the time, I thought she might

Be fraught, and coming to harm.

 

She knocked on my door at midnight

And she begged I let her inside,

Then pulled a gun from under her skirt,

Thrust it at me, and cried:

‘I think that he’s planning to kill me,

Or the boy, it was only fun,

But I saw him loading it after lunch,

I want you to hide the gun!’

 

She disappeared in the darkness, and

I left the gun on the side,

It wasn’t until the morning came

That I thought that she might have lied,

They beat three times on the outer door

Then the door came crashing in,

‘Well here’s the gun,’ said the sergeant then,

‘So the murderer must be him!’

 

My Uncle Joe had been shot, it seemed,

When Narelle had been outside,

She said that we’d had an argument

And she’d heard a shot, she lied!

She said she hid in the winter barn

And had seen me walking past,

Still with a smoking gun in my hand

Then she found Joe dead, at last.

 

They said they ‘had me to rights,’ they said,

My prints were over the gun,

They wouldn’t believe a word I said

That she was the guilty one.

They locked me into a padded cell

And Narelle came down from the farm,

She whispered, ‘It was the stable boy

That I wanted, all along!’

 

She hissed she’d cleverly primed the boy

To free her from Uncle Joe,

‘It’s sad that you should carry the can

For our evil deed, I know!

But I’ve always known what I want in life

And it certainly wasn’t you,

Maybe you’ll learn as you serve your term

That love’s a deception, too!’

 

I heard a clatter, the police walked in

And arrested her on the spot,

‘We listened to every word you said,

And yes, we taped the lot!’

They let me go, back to the farm

But I get no joy from this,

For in my head, I hear the dread

Of a Fallen Angel’s hiss!

 

David Lewis Paget

Reviews

[Becky C Strukamp]

Holy BeGeeBie!! this is soooooooo David Lewis Paget style and grace. Never do my eyes leave the screen nor dare take a breath till the last stanza, last word is read. This is why you are the accomplished poet and author that you are ...everything you touch turns golden!!

[Rishabh Shaw]

kudos for writing such a piece.... you inspire me.

[Ravyne Hawke]

You did a wonderful job of setting this up from the beginning.. surely someone thought so pure has to have an evil streak inside. I'm also glad she got it in the end. Would have hated to see her free. Well done with this narrative, David.

[Marie]

I'm glad she got what she deserved, for she was never an angel.

[Tate Morgan]

Oh I think I know a few women like this dear hearted angel lol. A man who doesn't think with his brain is begging for disaster. Let this be a lesson to all who read it.

[quinfinn]

sometimes the evil b*****s of the world do indeed get their just deserts...it seems you have captured that nicely here, in your typically well told story fashion. well done, David! truly an enjoyable and engaging read.

[Keith]

Another great yarn with a perfect delivery. Thanks David.