What is this wonder before me?
'Tis something new, formed of words I recognize, symbols I
can understand.
Yet they link and stretch across the screen in jumbles and shambles,
$string =~ /\<.*?\>(.*?)\</.*?\>/; assaults mine eyes.

Beauty? Like ants tickling my leg to the tune of a whispy
summer wind, carrying my food away.
Like polar bears playing with their young against the crisp,
technicolor white of an arctic afternoon, inches from my
blood covered face.

Perl, how I wish to grow closer to you, you intrigue me.
Am I prepared to view you in all your dangerous glory?
How long must I continue to poke at you with the stick of
"hello world" and tests for palindromes?
To know you would deliver me from this world of ignorance,
but first I must bear the brunt of your fiery beauty.