Temptation
the ego spins the wheel
TEMPTATION
Temptation calls With a siren’s voice Melodious to the ear Concealing death In each sweet note The sailor meets his doom. A wretched curse A lethal trick Enthralled, a fatal spell, Pulls you under The churning tide To the devil’s house you go. The snake proffers the apple Red and ripe with juice Promising secret knowledge To challenge The vanity of God. Being merely mortal There’s a weakness In your gut You strive to overcome it By coveting diamonds and gold. Temptation weaves the net To trap the wayward soul Laying bread crumbs On the road That lead to mishap and woe. Pride goes before a fall The ego spins the wheel The urge to cheat is mighty When the gambler Has the deal. Beware of silver bullets And shadows on the wall The confidence you feel When you conspire to betray. © 2026 Stephanie M. Vargo
It is so powerful how this tracks temptation from ancient myths to modern vices, showing that our real weakness isn't the siren or the snake, but our own ego convincing us we can cheat the fall. Great pen ✨
I like how it turns myth into something tactile - almost personal, like the landscape remembers instead of the speaker.