Five Poems from The Devil: A Guidebook

when we first met

the devil dressed himself
in crow’s wings

“hello
my love! I am feathers

for the wind to rub

against”

as I opened
my mouth

I became the warm
breath

that unwrapped me
slowly



*

one morning
the devil woke
me

“come my love! let’s play
a game with your father”

he led me to the kitchen
where my father read the paper

the devil guided his hand
into my fathers back

unlocked his jaw and mouthed

“son, promise me
you will always
tell the truth”

“oh Dad!
I replied

what a dirty
trick! it is impossible

to always tell the truth!”

the devil smiled
took his hand out

wrapped it around my spine

the voice
once mine

now full of fingers

*

whenever the devil buys a book

he crosses
out
the title

and writes
my name

I think I am the only book

anyone should ever write

*

at recess a large boy
called the devil a fag

when the devil started
to cry
I kissed him
long

until the boy blossomed
into dust
and blew away

for the devil’s birthday
I murdered the word

from the world

*

while walking
the devil
a nun
crossed our path

“excuse me
dear sister”
I said
“there is
nothing to fear

he is on a leash”