Art by Dave Boles
—Dave Boles, Grass Valley
when you run with evil
shifting through gears with
your fingers
in the sockets of a skull
you learn a bit
about demons
not the fantasy demons
of hollywood fame
all
disney cute
and ending up
loveable
or horror movie
grotesque
spewing blood
and gore
as they tear through
hapless
victims
in their
rampage
no
i mean real demons
not the
biblical
slayer of Josiah
or some
other
erudite
Jew
i mean the demons
that grab hold
from deep within
the ones that
caused you to
beat
your lover
over a glass
of spilled
milk
the ones that come from
the deeply entrenched
rage
that festers
over a lifetime
sitting
rotting
exploding
with the
slightest
provocation
i know
a thing or two
about demons
it’s why i avoid
the taste
of gin
or the smooth
touch
of a needle
against my vein
i’ve learned to tread
lightly
once you run
with evil
you are never
without its company
the best you can hope for
is to avoid
all known triggers
and to keep
a god killer
handy
for when the demons
rise.
____________________
—Medusa
Art by Dave Boles