"The Broken Beauty: The Ballad of the Happy Prince

In a city where sorrow lingers, stood a statue fair and tall,

The Happy Prince, once gleaming gold, was now weathered by time's thrall.

His eyes, once bright and twinkling, now dimmed by endless tears,

A tale of broken beauty, etched throughout the passing years.

Once adorned with jewels and splendor, a prince of high esteem,

He dwelled in opulence and joy, a life of radiant gleam.

But the walls of his golden palace shielded him from despair,

Blinded to the suffering, the anguish, and the snare.

One fateful night, a swallow, tired and lost, sought solace there,

And perched upon the prince's outstretched hand, so bare.

The swallow, kind and gentle, saw the city's plight unfold,

The poverty, the desperation, the stories left untold.

Together they embarked on a journey, two souls entwined,

The Happy Prince, his golden heart, and the swallow, loyal and kind.

The prince shed his jewels and gold, to mend the broken dreams,

His eyes now glistened with compassion, bursting at the seams.

They bestowed upon the needy what they had to give,

The prince's gold now transformed to hope, in each life it would relive.

They warmed the shivering orphans, clothed the cold and frail,

Brought solace to the ailing, a comfort to the pale.

But as the days grew colder, the swallow's strength did wane,

His tired wings grew weaker, his heart began to strain.

The prince, his inner core now exposed, felt each pain, each crack,

His golden exterior crumbling, never to get back.

As the swallow's final moments drew near, the prince was filled with dread,

For without his loyal companion, how could he mend, he said.

But the swallow, with his final breath, whispered words so wise,

"True beauty lies in sacrifice, a love that never dies."

And as the swallow closed his eyes, ascending to the skies,

The Happy Prince, broken and scarred, now learned to truly rise.

His fragmented form, a symbol of love that can't be bought,

A testament to empathy, and the battles it has fought.

The city wept for the Happy Prince, his story spread like fire,

A testament to the power of selfless, heartfelt desire.

And in the hearts of those who heard, a change began to bloom,

A seed of compassion planted, to dispel all shades of gloom.

So let us remember the Happy Prince, who broke from deep within,

And cherish the moments of love, for they are our greatest kin.

For it is in the broken, the scarred, and the worn,

That true beauty thrives, where compassion is reborn.