By This Act of Villainy

It was dusk at the time that two men came
Brothers perhaps, because they looked the same
The way they bickered and quarreled about
Was reminiscent of siblings, no doubt
Both were quite handsome, their face something fierce
Many a woman’s heart their eyes could pierce
So that it was no luck when they arrived
A lovely girl told them that they could hide
With her and her father at their abode
They would want for nothing there, as she told
And so it was that the two spent the night
In the very same house, a pretty sight
To behold, the girl, smiling as she slept
Dreaming of fantastical things, I bet
It was then, I think, that one fell in love
Looking at her, his heart was like a dove
For many days, while his brother waited
He vied for attention, as I’ve stated
She learned his name (Ivan), and the other’s
The one who waited, his name was Clover
And every day Ivan sought affection
She, Emile, gave another attention
Much to the grief of poor Ivan, you see
Emile had grown fond of Clover (teehee!)
While Ivan brought her fresh flowers, smiles
She snubbed him, sent him walking for miles
For Ivan, it should have been plain to see
She was not interested in bended knee
Or not his, at least, to Ivan’s despair
She wanted to be with Clover, a pair
Clover could see what was going on too
And so he shouted at Ivan, who knew
That there was no way that Clover could love
Someone so dainty, obsessed with her glove
With Clover there could only ever be
A woman with guts (to his heart, the key)
Levelheaded, she must also display
An artistic side, like that of Monet
Thus, t’was silly for Ivan to believe
That Emile could be with someone like he
By God! Wouldn’t Ivan please see the sense?
For Clover would never give false pretense.
But the conflict went of for many days
Then Ivan’s mistrust finally decayed
And soon Emile saw that Clover cared not
So she and Ivan quickly tied the knot
The days passed by, and they lived a good life
One which was not lazy, nor full of strife
They worked in the day and they slept at night
Each day, Emile’s beauty faded from sight
Ivan thought to himself, “How can this be?
That just yesterday she was so pretty
And now, today she is wrinkled and thin
There are big splotchy splotches on her skin!”
Ivan ran to Clover who was standing
At the moment, near the barnyard, sanding
He spoke to him of all his troubles
And perhaps it worried Clover double
To stop at his work and hear all of this
It was a concern he couldn’t dismiss
Slowly, at first, Clover gave his reply,
A solution that Ivan might apply
“Do not worry that Emile grows old quick
After all, you’ve had her out laying brick
And you know that dames are not meant to work
So it’s no surprise that her looks may irk
Instead, continue to embrace your life
And Ivan, accept your young aging wife.”
Ivan grew somber and a bit quiet
To this response, he wanted to riot 
So to this end, he formed a dreadful plot
And all his resources he did allot
To the careful planning of what he’d do
In order to start all over, anew
But he knew he couldn’t let Clover know
For Clover was virtuous and would crow
To Emile’s father, and then he’d be done
Failing before he had even begun
The sky was dark when Ivan took action
His mind was clear; there was no distraction
With the cover of night he did the deed
By this act of villainy he was freed
From his saggy old wife who he’d perceived
As hideous, though now he’d act bereaved
Though now he was sure he’d guaranteed
A nice hot spot underground with Hades 
When Clover finally came to fetch him
The scene laid before him was terribly grim
In Ivan’s eyes Clover knew there was sin
And at that moment he hated his kin 
Ivan tried to deny, to no avail
That he’d killed his wife, though now she looked frail
“What have you done!” Clover railed at his friend
I can’t believe how very far you’d descend
To kill in cold blood one you used to love
Without her beauty, you sent her above
What right do you have to determine fate?”
All around Ivan saw eyes full of hate
But even more, a look of deep sorrow
Thus for Ivan it was on the morrow
He took his last steps through the gate he’d come
And it was with this that his life was done.