Villabelle

Against my better judgment, Villanelle Week continues.

Albert, we knew you as Joey then,
When yours was still a world with room for doubt,
Before you took your leave of lesser men.

You had a family once; you were a twin,
A model teammate and an Eagle Scout;
Albert, we knew you as Joey then.

Before the hurled balls, the cork, the gin,
Before the costumed vandals ranged about,
Before you took your leave of lesser men;

Before you had to face the pressing din
And twist your voice into a vulgar shout,
Albert, we knew you as Joey then.

You can’t have known the judges of your sin,
Or known the crushing sentence meted out,
Before you took your leave of lesser men;

That in black dreams you’d mourn what could have been,
And stalk those gilded halls that kept you out.
Albert, we knew you as Joey then,
Before you took your leave of lesser men.