Imaginary Dream

Her mind’s eye focused upon the horizon

Blissfully unaware of any danger

The present, the future; converging in union

Into the form of an image of a handsome stranger

Cyberspace preys on illusion and trickery

Images are just a taste, a tease, a lure

And is what makes this a fool’s game for sure

 

The handsome stranger vows honor, truth, loyalty

Words he cites in chat sound too rehearsed; too planned

Then comes “his” story; a painful story.  One of tragedy

Married with a child, wife dies painfully. The story?  Also planned.

Also part of the lure, the trickery, all to ensnare

For this stranger, it’s a twisted sickening game

For the fool who follows, it’s a road fraught with traps and snares

And all lead to one place:  devastation and shame

 

The words continue to be passed on over time

Sharing, caring and soon, terms of endearment come

Too soon, too fast and soon?  The first trap is sprung.

But she doesn’t know this yet.  No alarm bells have rung

He’s telling her, “You’re my darling for all time.”

 

“My love”  “My Darling”  “My precious one”  

He knows what a woman wants and how to get it

Time. Patience. Persistence…and a powerful ability

That ability?  It goes against what he says he stands for

The gift…of manipulation.   He’s the salesman, who does the workover

Anything BUT honorable.  Anything BUT truth.  Anything BUT loyalty…except to one.

Himself and what his “cut” of the funds will be.

 

Yet again, she doesn’t know this, not quite.

She’s still “his Queen” “his adored one” “His WIFE”

The one he wishes to share his entire life

And it may have been….a few days now?

All since this stranger interrupted her life

Now, he is taking OVER her life.  And she wonders “How?”

 

But the daydreams of life everafter

They’ve begun in earnest; promises made

Vows pledged – after all, he is of honor

He’d follow her from one end of the earth to the other

And this woman who was only days before unaware

Now is madly “in love” with an internet image who swore forever after

She was “the one and only one” for him

Beautiful, adorable, “blessed to have her”

 

One day things change radically – it usually does

A disaster, a catastrophe has happened; a crisis looms

The real question, whose crisis IS it?  Hers or His?

“I received a letter from a holding company….”

The true hook, the true motive casts a pall of gloom

Over this once-blossoming “romance”

 

If she fights, the reaction of her “lover” is bitter like acid

She’s “disloyal,” “dishonorable,”  and he?  “Disappointed.”

As for her?  She’s destroyed; her lover who called her “his”

Now, all he thinks about?  Money and his share

Vanishing as fast as her “forever after”

If she does as she’s told, an email goes out

Another returns asking for money from her

 

If she’s smart, she’s starting to pull back and cut things off

She’s digging around,  armed with information

Blocking emails, changing email addresses and phone numbers

She’s running as fast as she can from this situation

And she’s NOT saying ONE WORD to this loser

We want him caught with the empty bag

And she does it all.  Blocks it all. Changes it all.

 

Now, the pain is quickly easing

The relief is just as quickly soothing

This was too close; just too close

This woman was the lucky one – she escaped

But others aren’t so lucky – they’re trapped

She, however, can move on….