Charm

Charm 
flatters the charmed

Behind its easy grace
is so often a mask of icy indifference
over a heart of stone

It suborns
the vanity of the charmed
to paralyze judgement

To refuse charm's charms
is to trade silver and gold
for mortal sink of lead 

The truth of limit
that will not suit or soothe

Vanity learns
only when it loses

In this song
that seems mournful
there is plain joy