The scholar's folly (P)

Late a dismal night i took to finding
The ancient tomes of Occult aligning
And I found the texts justifying
My dark and dusty soul.

Though when at last i came to dreaming.
A fetid sound, my own horrid screaming.
Foreboding forms in dreams are reaving.
The peaceful sleep they stole.

For in the tome i chanced of reading.
Was written the codes of evil's scheming.
That the devils hand had been leaving.
Beckoning dark spirits to my fold.

Within my mind was a hellish feeling
Of terror's grasp and daemons seething.
Upon my form to restrict my breathing.
Caught in deaths damned atoll.

That Satan may stand before me accusing,
Of selfish thoughts and of misusing
The knowledge he bestowed through his choosing
To his wretched prophets of old.

I begged that he would see me grieving
For the Devil's secrets i was stealing.
I begged for a chance of redeeming
My long forsaken heart of coal.

I saw that he took to absolving
The matter, his demons abdicating..
Until he himself was absenting.
Leaving me alone and in control.

In the river i was throwing
The ancient books i was forgoing.
For the things i thought worth knowing
Were not worth knowing after all.