Pilgrim's Regress

Although Jack deeply yearned and bravely fought
The serpent dragon of his soul’s torment,
From all his pilgrim travels, all he brought
Were portmanteaus of disillusionment.
He’d walked barefoot the Santiago Trail,
And climbed Lourdes’ holy stairs upon his knees,

But, everywhere, though feeling every nail
Of sun and light, his sleep produced disease.
At night, Jack travelled to far fields ablaze
With singing flowers loud with every hue;
Then in these dreams, a distant wood in haze
Would lose him and obscure his starry view.
And sinking into softness, he’d awake
With Venus rising sans that common ache.