Tuesday Poem: The Poet’s Devil

We all have romantic ideas of our lives, you know.

That’s how we get dressed in the mornings and leave

the house. Otherwise we’d never shave or bother

with silverware. Have you forgotten the art

of seduction, miss? I’m only a figment, yet look

at how I’ve handled my lot.

I brought down Kings. I had mothers burned

in front of their children.

You hear what I’m saying, don’t you.

Implication. Suggestion. Don’t be a dolt.

Words are power. You’re thinking too hard

on all this, my ducky. You’re still

going to die. And since you don’t believe in an

afterlife, you’d better write your goddamn heart out.

Shoshanna Wingate is a Canadian poet living in New Brunswick. She will read at the Cork Poetry Festival. www.corkpoetryfest.net