Parliament Light

It was many and many a year ago,
Under a neon sign in the night,
That an item there was sold whom you know
By the name of Parliament Light;
And this item, she lived with no other thought
Than to smoke and flame so bright.

I was a young and it was cheap,
Under the neon sign in the night;
But I inhaled with a breath that was more than smoke-
I and my Parliament Light;
With a love that the cashiers at 7-11
Coveted our bond so tight.

And this was the reason that, long ago,
Under the neon sign in the night,
A decree came from the state, raising
The price of my Parliament Light;
So my wallet grew thin
And twas beyond my budget so tight,
To shut them up in the glass case
Under the neon sign in the night.

The politicians, not half so happy in Congress,
Went envying her and me-
Yes!- that was the reason (as all men know,
Under the neon sign in the night)
That the decree came out,
Overly taxing my Parliament Light.

But my love it was stronger by far than the fear
Of many far healthier than me-
Of those with political might-
And neither the cancer lobbyists who bend their ear,
Nor the clerks under the neon sign in the night,
Can ever dissever my soul from the soul
Of my delicious Parliament Light.

For commercials never air without making me care
For my delicious Parliament Light;
And I never finish a dish without making a wish
For my delicious Parliament Light;
And so, as my lungs mend, I think of the end
Of my darling- my darling- my reliable friend,
In the glass case flooded with light,
In her tomb under the neon sign in the night.

Day 1 as a non-smoker and I'm already a plagiarist. Special "shout out" to Edgar Allen Poe for this beautiful piece. And for sleeping with his 13 year old first cousin, who was also a beautiful piece.