on which a boy, smiling
at his friend stuck on
the raised end of the plank
hops off–his glee
to watch that boy drop:
Rage and delight, a sugar-bowl
filled with salt. We need
a chump to cheer us
so God rubs Job with
brine, playing Satan
–but Job is too human
cannot dance in pain
and make God happy
What joke is this
life you gave me?
Suffering grows
a worm of delight
for those who watch,
the pitted eyes of Oedipus
make our play, worm
of Ben Gay squirted in
your pants, burn your ass–
Happy the ghoul
in ghoul’s mask
handing the children apples
with razors inside, there’s your trick
or punch-line
obituary: “The farmer looped
a chain from tree to tractor,
drove off, and pulled it down
on his head.” The woman arrested
for resisting arrest,
Domine sing the doughty Monks
of Masoch, the man pinned
by a tree underwater,
giggling as his friend
gives him mouth to mouth,
giggling, drowning, Domine
chant the monks, Domine
and smash their mouths
with boards–denying us
our casual voodoo
the pleasure to give pain
that gives pleasure of pain,
unmerited, cruel, free creation
in a falling world that falls
but we kick it further–
the axe-man whispers run
to the convict he beheads
so the body for our delight
jumps up headless
–a sick story
but undying, we
would empty Hell
for such life, whip
the mad dog for its
palindrome
god dam, just kidding
just pulling your leg, you
hanging from the tree of Love.