The Death of Success

Here is the story of Erfolg Éclat
A tale of tragedy, one of the best
He was by all means perfect, just one flaw
He found his worth in failures and success

A concoction for a harrowing life
An error he found till it was too late
He could not be a hero in the strife
Overcome with grief he accepted his fate

To live, was not life, but die was to gain
Yes, so finally, he left Earth at last!
What could cause him to feel such deadly pain?
To answer that, look back into his past

Blessed with much wealth, with more than Ms. Sommers
In life, he made the face of heaven fine
Few would speak to him, for they would stutter
But his intellect truly made him divine

He scored a hundred on 36 (thirty six) tests
Beating out 2400 (twenty four hundred) students
On his good days, he thought himself the best
But when good seldom called, he felt foolish

His life was 100% (one hundred percent) numbers
He drank the quail shot of the Jumping Frog
For he was weighed down by his harsh failures
He made a strict vow: succeed or be flogged

When he won his awards, life was real
But when success cheated him, he groaned
On his heart, he engraved an uncial
Roads less traveled are best traveled alone!

Truly, he had life so could love life
Alas, the soil of his heart was hard
Even his victories were stabs by a knife
A mockery so brutal, he was scarred

He made a plan so the pain would subside
No longer would he stay, he would go far
But no, Erfolg didn't commit suicide
Instead, he waved good-bye, leaving for Mars!

So what can we say he learned from all this?
How can one deal with a latching conflict?
Is it to run away and throw a fit?
To give up and fall, rather than persist?

Are we, the privileged, guilty of such crimes?
Do we define our lives in shallow ways?
When we do not get our way do we whine?
Are humans doomed for the rest of their days?

Or can we, the future take on the call?
To be strong students of integrity?
And promise to rise, whenever we fall?
To strive and to keep our identity?

For all of us can be ensnared by stress
We forsake ourselves, and try to impress
For never was a story of more distress
Than of Erfolg Éclat and his success!