INFAMY

Or the Top Ten Reasons Heaven & Hell Are at War.

ONE. God said, “let there be light,”

and earth was shrouded in sunlight

and the Devil sunburned easily.

pale-skinned, residing in the dark,

nocturnal & an insomniac,

he hasn't slept in three years.

TWO. the Devil couldn't get a part in hollywood,

so he went home,

wrote his feelings on a napkin,

and threw it away.

THREE. there were no clean shirts on tuesday,

and the dry-cleaner was closed due to budget cuts.

the homeless man sits on the corner begging for a dime,

fingerless gloves and cracked shoes,

even if the Devil wanted to, he couldn't give him anything,

there isn't money left for anyone at all.

FOUR. the days grew short,

rain hitting the ground.

God smiles on the beauty,

while the Devil howls in anguish

for love he can never have.

FIVE. shivering in the night, the Devil makes his way to Eden,

“just once more,” he says,

“just once more to see what i'm missing.”

but he knows that's not why he went.

SIX. Eve is picking flowers to put in her hair.

light rain falls on her hands.

the Devil hides in a tree.

SEVEN. God watches the Devil,

he watches the earth spin

round & round & round.

He takes a picture in his mind to save for

any other day.

God knows what's happened,

God knows exactly what the Devil wanted all along.

this is the way it had to be.

EIGHT. happy birthday universe,

it's your lucky day.

whatever you want you can have.

God smiles on Eden,

aware of fate and love and everything in between.

NINE. the Devil suddenly knows why he's here.

weeks and weeks of coming and going,

never getting what he wanted until now.

“the apple, the apple,” he croons.

and Eve takes it, her beautiful pale hand reaching up

from the ground.

he looks at her, eyes locking,

long-legged & red-lipped,

she bites the apple and the Devil smiles.

TEN. the Devil sheds a single tear

as Eve is taken from him again,

to live out her life with Adam.

the Devil cries out in rage,

“this is war, this is war.”

Eve never said a word, nothing but

“what's done is done.”

lightly kissing his lips she turns away, forever.

the world kept on spinning,

round & round & round again,

as the Devil vowed to make her love him.

i suppose that's all he ever really wanted.

the war raged on.

and Eve never said

“i love you.”

#summerblogs

Forever Yours,

Rachel.