Long Journey

Professor Brint was 30, when he built his best invention:

The Chrono-Car, and used it to explore the fourth dimension.

He revved it up, and traveled back through 23 years' history,

And then the engine used up all supplies of his magistery.

Now trapped back when his childhood self had only just turned seven,

And frequently thrown out those brown bread sandwiches with devon

His mother made; Brint chose to spare himself the wierdest meeting.
He steered clear of the school, where he'd endured a frequent beating.

He met a blond haired lady his own age, and slowly courted;

And then they got engaged, but his indulgences were thwarted.

She dyed her hair to brown, and now looked strangely too familiar.

Their three year romance took his thoughts to days of juvenilia.

For Tina now resembled all his deepest recollections:
The teacher in his sixth class year, for whom he held affections,

But couldn't share, because of different ages and those fissures

Dividing them, because her only known first name was "Mrs."

So "Tina Long," her married name, before the timeline altered,

Confronted him with guilt; since he had well and truly faltered,

By stopping her from meeting Mr Long, when he had entered,

And tried to buy a life from her, which he had really rented.

Tormented by morality, he pondered all the choices,

Recalling all those recent dates in cheaply hired Rolls Royces.

Should he arrange for Mr Long and her to meet and marry,

And then seek someone single in the past, where he'd still Tarry?

Or should he marry Tina, and let Mr Long be cheated

Of destined love, if what had gone "before" was not repeated?

He thought that she should know the truth, and do her own deciding,

Confessed (except Long's name), and hoped his teacher would start guiding.

She said, "I'll marry you, and have no wish to still discover

Identities of might-have-beens," which made Brent really love her,

"Why don't you choose an alias, to safeguard your persona

From sharing names with your young self, who must remain a loner?"

Invent a name like Mr Long, and be my true intended.

Don't worry how the broken threads of time will all be mended."

"Did you say Long?" asked Brint, "That means the Mrs Long who taught me

Was married to my older self, while 6th class Brint was naughty.

My childhood self was jealous, while I was my greatest rival:

Your adult husband, while my younger self would seek survival

In mucking up at school. No wonder you gave much attention

To teaching him the right ways, and gave him an hour's detention."