THE SMILE

The Smile was sinister,

Landed on a mountain and spread
(Like all sinister smiles do)
Across the fertile plains -

Corroded and corrupted the crops,
Poisoned the wells
Ate the clouds
Disappeared up the skirts of women
And into the brains of men

Etched 'Fire'
On the walls of the houses,
'Fear'
On the foreheads of the children,
'Death'
On the flanks of the cattle

Withered the flowers
The bird-song
The laughter
Stank with the smell of rotting hay

The Smile
Dropped with the rain,
Blew DOWN
Into the cracks between stones
Grew UP with the roots of trees and into their sap
Chlorophyll
Branches
Leaves

Swept through the orchards and into the fruit

Curdled the love between man and woman

Deformed their children

Cursed the sun and took its Light

Mirrored itself on
Despair
Destruction
Wrong-doing

Shut off God
Instituted Babel:

The Smile was Happy with its' success,
Grinned sinisterly, like all good smiles do

And watched the world Burn.

5/5/00