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Autumn Leaves

volume 5 number 6

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The Devil Responds

by Brian Whatcott

Come closer dear, it will not hurt.
I take this tube and thread it soft
between your legs and find the place
and urge it on to spurt
disinfectant (there's a joke!)
from a funnel , smelling antiseptically
and analytically withdraw
and have a smoke.

But bye and bye there is a heaving groan
and tiny tin tack peanut hand palm size
appears with five small fingers and five small toes
too small, how small, so tiny in your hand he lies;
preposterously small and dead but elegantly comprise
your firstborn, but not your last, God knows.

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Copyright © 2001, Brian Whatcott, all rights reserved.
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