Statistically, the likelihood a room
Was anything but empty wasn’t good,
And if it wasn’t, chances were it would
Be something dumb like rats, or copper strewn
Upon the floor — dropped there (so we assumed)
By real adventurers, who understood
They weren’t even worth the time it took
To write them on your character sheet. Soon,
We learned unless we wanted to be bored
To tears, such rules were better off ignored.
From then on, every room contained at least
One interesting thing — a crumpled piece
Of paper with a cryptic message; one
Mailed glove; a bauble with a tiny sun
Trapped in the center, good for candlelight.
The rules lawyer will say the rules are right:
Most doors do open onto empty days,
A pittance, rats — but that’s no way to play.
