*Image reference: David Tennant as the demon Crowley from Good Omens
Come now! Hear this tale!
Of a sinister sale
'Twixt the Devil and a man named Jack
Seems Jack sold his soul
But with dice and a roll
There was chance he could win it all back
The Devil was keen
Long this man he had seen
Drifting, no purpose in sight
So he gave Jack his chance
To let dice in hand dance
“Roll. Save your soul. You just might”
Our Jack was no fool
Knew the Devil was cruel
There was little from Him he could hide
There was naught left to lose
Another blow on a bruise
Self pity would have to abide
The Devil sat waiting
He despised hesitating
And clenched His sharp teeth in disgust
Jack took a deep breath
“So what? It's just Death.
We ain't nothing but shadows and dust.”
Jack came and sat down
His grin more like a frown
And heard the game's only concession
“If you roll a thirteen,
It could very well mean
That God's ready to hear your confession.”
“You'll be free as a bird,
I swear on My Word,
That thing that you treasure so dear
But roll anything less
And your soul I'll digest!”
He crossed His left chest with a sneer
Jack squirmed in the sand
Took the dice in his hand
He cupped them and shook them about
The Devil was breezy
This wager was easy
Collecting this soul was no doubt
Sweat dripped from Jack's brow
Knew the moment was now
And he whipped the small rattlers with zest
Jack threw them so hard
The dice broke into shards
What tally was made from this mess?
The Devil knelt down
The scraps spread on the ground
Were winking with ruby red eyes
Cried o'er the remains
Of those bones with bloodstains
The one thing in this world that he prized!
As he gathered the shreds
Of those dice He had read
With an infinite number of men
Once, twice, then a third
The Devil thought it absurd
It came thirteen again and again
Had Jack beat the Devil
Had good beaten evil?
Was he saved from this Hell-dwelling menace?
One word now was due
Sepulchral yet true
“GO.” Said the Devil and grimaced
Jack gathered his thoughts
His guts tied up in knots
Nods to the Devil he'd beat
In his head he was sure
This was far from a cure
No telling when again they would meet
Jack slipped away reeling
Had this ominous feeling
That freedom should not be a gamble
He'd been given more time
Out this hole he must climb
Or his life would remain in a shamble
Jack knew he must strive
To be glad he's alive
To do anything less was to fail
'Cause the Devil does reckon
When his gaunt finger beckons
There's always a soul that's for sale...
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