Rain On My Parade

"Once upon a time,"
              I used this phrase to start a verse or two.
My mind was blank,
              and the paper white. What more could I do?
Pithy words and snarky strokes,
              left the parchment clean.
But tempting thoughts, hid
              and called from the unseen.
A Dragon. A tree.
              A valiant white knight.
A demon. A Queen.
              A snowstorm at midnight.
Rubbish and garbage!
              Tedious and droll.
Each thought a doodle;
              unpainted and dull.
Still, there lies within
              the dark shrouded night,
a luminous speck,
              a tempting bright light.
"Once upon a time,
             at the world's end,
                      our story was begun..."