Monsieur Gray

Inspired by Oscar Wilde's Picture of Dorian Gray

a man of great beauty
and of no small expenditure 
innocence in abundance 
he suffered from ignorant bliss

a chance meeting 
a friends humble invitation
a cynical greeting
a strangers provocation

they spoke of no importance 
and of trivial things
yet the young mans soul
clung desperately to every word

challenging past beliefs
he sought all experiences
he found no relief
only more hindrances

he spoke of things forbidden
indulging in every vice
frequenting the brothels
and enjoying an opium pipe

many women he would ravish
eclipsed only by drugs consumed
he lived a life of the lavish
mad he was certainly presumed 

yet a deadly secret was his to bear
and one with naught to be compared
ignorant was the world to his plight 
his life was changed quite literally overnight

for no scorn or malice
should ever scar his face
nor age take notice
only youth remained in place