Eye of the Beholder

An old man sat on a bench one fine spring day,
He smiled at a young woman next and said,
I have a story, my dear, and it is headed your way

There once was a beautiful girl,
Her heart was filled with compassion,
That sweet voice could make your toes curl,

It is said that beauty is in the eye of the beholder,
But if you needed someone to listen and cry to,
She always offered a silent, unjudging shoulder

Until one day, she met a boy,
His eyes were downcast, and he seemed quite down,
As much as she wanted to smile,
All she could offer was a frown

He asked, Oh dear what is wrong?
She was always smiling,
Like magic, that was gone.

The girl replied with tears rolling down an angel's cheek,
I am sorry to say that my facade has cracked,
I hate myself for it but my small life,
My whole existence is just an act

All were shocked at such a revelation that she had lied,
To every single soul she had touched in her life,
Sunshine disappeared and that was the day beauty died

With her bright makeup smeared,
And a dull face of dismay,
No one looked her way or even smiled,
For lying, they thought that she should pay.

The woman on the bench that fine, spring day cried,
What a horrible thing for friends to do!
To say that poor girl should be denied!

But you see that doesn't matter, the old man explained,
That young girl, now my wife, will always be beautiful to me,
She was bonded down with chains of lies,
Now as we are in love, my dear, she is free.