the amateur

brick by brick, the mason
laid a castle sure to keep her near
tapestries chanted fantastic dreams
as mirrors luminesced

time and time again
he returned to find her floating
face down in the fountain
seeking safety, drained the water
and parched the wilted bloom

a thousand days in
she was gone
he followed footprints
past the piles that once had form
far too late to watch her crest the horizon
he turned to view her mansion
and found his own name on the gate.