Mephistopheles
Stormy Ski es
...groomed to see the world’s natural splendors
Is this goodness and beauty?
waking up cold,
knowing only the misery of mankind
never equipped to stand against evil and
prevail-
but no archangel am I
my soul packed away
sold for the strength to
forgive
it’s wasted on the same three stairs
that creak on the way down
awake (haven’t yet slept),
just the same
as the sick world’s promises define you
stupid, foolish child,
my role unbeknownst to me,
a safe place, arms are walls
shut the door and you’re invisible
stranger,
you’re too late.
pain and hate and anger drudged up
from every single rejection and failure
ever to pile on
your shoulders,
but all I could do was leave and not come back
until you were
gone.
since high school
Who are you, really?
a thousand exorcisms keep boredom away
we drank hope from a poisoned well
selfish I wished you
death
or peace
anywhere
but in front of me.
I cannot fight, why should I need to cope?
fear-
How could I let it blind me if it’s what I claim to understand?
24
Cauldron Anthology