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Sunday, September 11, 2011

Tread Lightly

Art by Dave Boles


GOD KILLER
—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