Once Upon a Time,

The hunter watched as flames kissed the stars

Iron tasting blood ran down from the gorge in his chest

to the forearm

Iron tasting?

He could taste it. The flavor or weakness in his mouth.

He did nothing nothing, save for watching.

Father, mother, and sister ravaged by beast of the Old Wood.

They found him, barefoot and frostbitten-- skinny,

like an iced-over scare crow.

Then in the spring, war.

Drafted as a boy, he toiled until man.

When the war was over, he was strong.

Nobody was quick like Gaston. Nobody was kingpin like Gaston!

But a man needs war to match the war within. But alas countries make peace,

leave Gaston displeased.

Women came and went.  He bore no struggle in the arts of seducing

le Mademoiselle

That was, until he laid eyes on precious Belle.

Yet, Belle was gifted with the muses-- an intellectual!

Gaston, having spent every second washing blood from clothes,

Never learned to read.

When his muscles and brawn failed to attract

Sweet Belle,

Gaston would not give up.

He only lost once in his life,

his family

He would not lose Belle! 

But fate would have it, a beast would become involved 

Gaston no longer cared for Belle.

His only ever defeat,

The one source to which he justified his lifetime of war

Would now be settled.

His sin of weakness would be now absolved

So Gaston left that night for the beast and the few villagers who saw him last,

Claimed he was happy as can be.

For nobody smiles like Gaston.