If Only

I set myself a quest. I sought high and low for the object of a pretty faith, and a lovely sentiment. I set out, with the worst of intentions, and I discovered myself vain and even vainglorious enough to seek a distillation of it.

Despite that alarming vanity, or perhaps because of it, I bumbled across wordy glen, and falling sideways for what seemed a day longer than forever, fell upwards into a madman's cavern. What a treasure was held within. A glass vial - and no ordinary one, no, this was done in etch and filigree - within which was contained this most potent elixir, a magical essence, and even an animated one.

Fortuitous accident, in deed. So goes the reward of a hopeless self-regard, and a mindless vanity.

Having been led across that verbal field into the secret lair of a mad scientist by the good fish and a vast conspiracy, and stumbling drunk with my own mirrored self, the test tube nearly fell of its own accord, leaping - I swear it - from off its perch upon a dusty shelf, and into my grubby, grimy tramper's fingers.

Much amused, I thought to sniff the scent of it.

Surprised, instead, by an earnest, endearing whispered voice, all disembodied, coming up and upwards, from out of within it.

Like a captured soul, or bottled saint, that voice came unto me: "...Lock arms! And let's get this unprincipled ego-maniacal sell-out out [Obama] of office! "

Replying, slighting and slightly, I, an evil man and often proudly, said back to he:  "...to be replaced by a clone of him."

Incredulous, and tinny with despair, came that voice back out to  air, "Nope. Not if we ditch this party completely, and support the independent candidacy of someone with actual principles.... rather than just marketing gimmicks..."

And I know what elixir, what power, what magic mystery was now revealed to worthless, goblin me.

The secret of a secret faith.

"If only..."

"In principle..."

" And if..."

Refrains from the mass of a high church faith, choruses of magical incantation, and the bottle-bodied dreams of a future already written in the believers' pluperfect.