TWINS

Rick was swarthy and rugged, a magnificent sight

a handsome face, blue eyes shinning bright

very kind and gentle and rarely shy

when faced with a challenge, he aimed for the sky

he was blessed and gifted, without a doubt

straight A student, quarterback, eagle scout

he followed regulations, never broke the rules

a born success, he had all the tools

a man among boys, a role model for sure

church every Sunday, an old soul so pure

a high school idol in a small Indy town

scholarship, free ride, Notre Dame bound

his mother was strict, an old fashioned school teacher

his father was rigid, the only town's preacher

just like his parents, Rick was wound tight

expected to be perfect, Rick had to be right

his mother intolerant of immorality and sin

his father's two options: to lose or to win

the approval of his parents was a driving force

never stray from perfection, never drift off the course

the love of rick's life was Mary Jane

he wanted her like a thirsty desert needs rain

a homecoming queen with Paltrow looks

a valedictorian, her nose in the books

she flowed as she moved like the wind in a sail

motivated and bright, she would succeed never fail

Mary Jane was unique, a snowflake like no other

but rick came in two's, a matching twin brother

identical genes brothers Rick and Dave shared

identical looks even naked and bare

the same birth marks, moles, eyes and hair

distinguished only by the clothes they would wear

Rick's signature was his red letter sweater

pressed shirts and slacks, boots made of leather

Dave was scruffy, torn blue jeans, backpack

aloof and alone, and always laid back

mysteriously quiet and painfully shy

Dave seemed lost, his thoughts in the sky

apart from his family, he lived alone in back

behind their home in an old wooden shack

Sartre and Spinoza Dave read by candlelight

scraped the bottom of school although quite bright

he did time in reform school, was ashamed of his past

his father disowned him, he became an outcast

isolation and loneliness were taking its toll

same genes as Rick, but not the same soul

one thing in common that both of them shared

they both loved Mary Jane, no one knew Dave cared

Dave craved her badly, like an addict needs dope

a storm center within him, too intense to cope

behind the tall oaks he crept by her house

her window was open, she took off her blouse

her breasts were firm, her body so pure

Dave sick with desire, malignant no cure

insanely jealous, afflicted and sick

like a desperate whore turning a trick

his mind racing, his heart ice cold

a time bomb ticking, about to explode

he imagined caressing and fondling Mary Jane

kissing her neck and stroking her mane

massaging her breasts with his thick burly hand

a white virgin beach, in the surf on the sand

one steamy, hot and black August night

Dave's visions persisted, blinding his sight

thoughts of sleeping with the love of his twin brother's life

images so real, he could slash them with a knife

Dave changed his clothes and dressed like Rick

from boots to sweater, a perfect fit

Dave became Rick his reflection a clone

the outside was perfect, the inside alone

midnight that evening, basking in moonlight

Dave climbed to her window, straight up one flight

Dave on a mission, a young man depraved

about to spring, like a lethal switch blade

he tapped on the window, Mary Jane sound asleep

first startled then gasped, not a word not a peep

excited but reluctant, she allowed him in

Dave was delirious, his thoughts in a spin

words never spoken, he took her to bed

clothes off in an instant, defenses were shed

captured by passion, Mary Jane could not stop

moments of insanity, a risk to be caught

Rick unaware of Mary Jane’s plight

buried in his books, throughout that night

startled by a chill, like a cold winter shower

he would call Mary Jane, but looked at the hour

she would remain a virgin until they were wed

saving each other for their first night in bed

one night's indiscretion destroyed her ideals

dishonest and soiled, that's just how she feels

she wanted that night erased from her thought

remorseful and violated, she became distraught

withdrawing from Rick, needing time alone

there would be no contact not even by phone

Rick suffered rejection, he was out of his mind

a shattered heart, a cane ripped from the blind

a tree without wind, a beach without tide

a bird without wings, unable to glide

weeks later a secret had to be shared

Mary Jane phoned Rick, her voice shaken and scared

"I'm four weeks pregnant" is the first thing she said

speechless and paralyzed, Rick wished he were dead

she had left Rick for another, and slept with him too

white clouds became black, a sky never blue

his world had been perfect, everything had been right

now everything was wrong, everything in sight

Mary Jane would have worn her grandmother's ring

the church choir had practiced the songs they would sing

she learned the waltz from Rick's mom the school teacher

the ceremony performed by his father the town's preacher

Rick spent his life in pursuit of the best

he was strong willed and solid, he was up to the test

but now Rick had crumbled, he would never recover

Mary Jane was his world and that's how he loved her

Dave left his shack for a walk in the night

he looked at his house, a strange looking sight

his parents were gone, everything was black

except one window and the green eyes of a cat

the window was open a shadow within it

something in motion, the room barely lit

Dave entered the house, intrigued by the sight

he entered the kitchen and switched on the light

a spiral stairway led Dave to Rick's floor

he rapped a few times on Rick's bedroom door

after no answer he forcefully knocked

he twisted the knob, the door tightly locked

he rammed it open with his mighty shoulder

like his brother had the strength of a boulder

swinging from the ceiling it was a horrible sight

Rick's neck was snapped by a noose yanked tight

Dave stunned for a second then saw the light

if he became Rick he could make his life right

he could change his life and be the best

if it fooled Mary Jane he could fool the rest

he could erase his past and be the man

he could be somebody not a grain of sand

he could spend his lifetime with Mary Jane

he could love her as much as all the drops of rain

Mary Jane despondent, filled with self hate

she had jumped to conclusions, her period was late

she had entered a cult, in a mountain somewhere

Dave lived as Rick, his insides still empty and bare

Dave failed as Rick there was no magic spark

he was too jaded and his soul was too dark

he couldn't fake what he didn't know

he had no light, an evil heart didn’t glow

Rick back to Dave returned to his shack

he changed his clothes, he wore his backpack

he could never be what he never was

he could not fake it, a man does what he does

Dave's dad the town's preacher realized Dave's lie

he had lost his son Rick, nothing left but to cry

the preacher walked slowly from his home to the back

the preacher stepped silently into Dave's dirty shack

Dave reading his books by a soft candlelight

a flicker of light put Dave's head in plain sight

the sounds of a twelve gauge echoed forever

did Dave survive? the answer is never