Little Harry (A Cautionary Tale) Poem by Gert Strydom

Little Harry grew up to be a businessman,
one of those that make a profit in any way they can
and from the days of his youth
he was wheeling and dealing without a regard for truth.

At times he laughed with a sudden kind of glee
about other people's infirmity,
their trust and weakness of the mind
that helped him to play on them havoc of a certain kind.

Every afternoon at the close of day
he took his earnings, his shady profits away
and he would go out to dance
to find a girl with whom to romance

until the early morning light,
but at a time he became known as a predator of the night
as in relationships he treated girls just the same
as his customers and to him love, was just another game

and so it came to be with time passing on
that all the sweet girls, all his companions were gone
and with money he had to pay for love and attention
for the kind of women that sincere men do not mention.

Loneliness was something that he could not face
and life went on at its same old pace
but suddenly a solution came to him
to buy a Russian bride, someone beautiful, full of grace and trim,

to marry her and like a princess
he would treat her and his life would be without distress
while at his whims she would act,
almost like a slave without being able to go back

and off to Moscow he went
with one task hell-bent
and there he did pick and choose a lovely woman,
who would be desired by every other man.

Together homewards they travelled
but from the start their relationship shrivelled,
while he introduced her to every other Harry and his mate,
with her dined out and went to the movies until late,

for at times he treated her as just another bought thing,
and if his wishes were not met, his words did sting
and on his wedding day,
she left him; to a new true lover she went away.