The World a Wily Tradesman

I agree that you are charming, desirable, and fulfilling
Mild or violent though I be your presence is mesmerizing
Kings and paupers, young and old have never been able to evade you
For you are charming; charmingly murderous.
You rend the heart from the mind, and kill its thousand eyes
You bend the heart to the flesh, and fill it with a million lies
Visible desire, invisible snare.
Lust of flesh, death of mind.
O World, the master tradesman
You give us what we want
At the cost of what we need.