I wish I lived in middle earth,
With wizards and hobbits and elves.
Just give me a sword and a quest to fulfill,
Like the heroes in the books on my shelves.

I wish I had a dragon to slay,
A hideous fire-breathing beast.
Or a princess to save from an odious fiend,
Or a tall ship to sail nor’ by nor’ east.

I wish I had a battle to fight,
With archers and pikemen and knights.
Or be a sultan with a harem of shapely young maids,
In a garden of earthly delights.

I wish I had a magical lamp,
Or a walnut that would turn things to gold.
Or live in a castle with portcullis and moat,
In a kingdom a thousand years old.

I wish I had a windmill to tilt,
Or a brave army of champions to lead.
But alas modern life affords nothing like this,
So I curl up with a good book and read.

(20 lines)