Beelzebub, Esquire

I met the devil by happenstance

at night in a local convenience store.

I asked him why he was browsing brownies

and cigarette selections.

(I knew he prized his health,

and never puffed on tobacco stuff.)

"My friend,"—he recalled us meeting before—

"haven't you read the news today?"

He pulled a paper from his pocket

and pointed out the headlines.

"There's genocide in Africa,

millions of them have died.

AIDS is spreading like melted butter,

and there's some new strain of flu alive.

In Palestine there’s always war,

and even I’ve forgotten why.

Christians hate and kids have sex—

even our preachers lie!

If smokes and ding-dongs kill, my boy,

then I deserve to die.”