If you did not love me,
I could not exist
And I love how you love me**
Long may you live
in your delicious illusions
in your delicious illusions
for my masks are plenty:
cream and candy
and cod fish cakes
and cod fish cakes
greed and gluttony
liquor of the grain,
grape and goober--
liquor of the grain,
grape and goober--
Ah !
Let us not speak of
sin today
what really makes me grin
is my mask of
wealth and taste
Remember:
I shouted out,
Who killed the . . . [fill in the blank]
When after all
It was you and me *
Who killed the . . . [fill in the blank]
When after all
It was you and me *
And since then
we have been busy, haven't we?
I need not list
we have been busy, haven't we?
I need not list
our games—
You have the Times
and
Inquirer and News
Inquirer and News
and multiple
apologists
this side of madness
this side of madness
and you love to tell
everyone who will listen
everyone who will listen
how to recognize me
in deeds and dancing,
in deeds and dancing,
raps and rock,
dress and nudity
dress and nudity
non-conformity—
what true joy!
this miss-information,
when truth is there
for all to see.
for all to see.
Remember:
. . . if you meet me
Have some courtesy
Have some sympathy, and some taste
Use all your well-learned politesse
Or I'll lay your soul to waste*
Have some courtesy
Have some sympathy, and some taste
Use all your well-learned politesse
Or I'll lay your soul to waste*
If you did not love me, I
could not exist
could not exist
And I love how you love me**
Remember:
I prefer the language of echo
and rut and nursery rhyme
the sing-song patterning
of alliterated adoration
we say it all the time
we say it all the time
If you did not love
me,
I could not exist
I could not exist
And I love how you love me—
Remember:
I prefer the financial occupation
of lending and fines,
dispossession and
dispossession and
re-distribution,
centralization—wait—
centralization—wait—
the term is DE-
centralization this year—
we do it all the time
centralization this year—
we do it all the time
Gather ye rosebuds as ye may+
I say
I say
If you did not love
me,
I could not exist
I could not exist
And I love how you love me**
Would you care to dance?
NOTES:
* from “Sympathy for
the Devil” by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, Rolling Stones, 1968
**from "I LOVE HOW YOU LOVE ME" by The Paris Sisters ~ 1961 ~ Gregmark Records.
**from "I LOVE HOW YOU LOVE ME" by The Paris Sisters ~ 1961 ~ Gregmark Records.
+ from poem by Robert Herrick
(1591-1674)
Copyright © 2012 Susan L. Chast
Submitted to Apiary 8/30/2013
Published!
Submitted to Apiary 8/30/2013
Published!
Wonderful, Susan, you really got into the devilish details here. Well done!
ReplyDeleteK
I just realized that I didn't use the words "devil" or "Lucifer"! Without the prompt and the picture and music, I don't think it becomes clear until bout 20 lines in. Hmmm. I guess that works. Thanks for visiting, Kay. Your comment says it does work, I think!
DeleteInteresting take on the prompt, Susan... I really like the back and forth debate.
ReplyDeleteThanks Laurie! I set off the song's in a way that makes it seem like another person, but it's all the devil(s) talking to human collaborators. Actually, now that you bring it up, I kind of like the effect of a few devils taking turns singing/gloating.
DeleteDefinitely an interesting take, Susan; but I will have to say it confused me....which your poetry usually doesn't. Smiles.
ReplyDeleteI've never tried to imagine the voice of the devil before. It might help to see this all as one voice bragging.
DeleteBut why shouldn't pure evil confuse us? I pretend to understand it by taking on the role, but in reality, I am always bewildered and wounded by humans killing, neglecting and profiting within our own species.
Let us not speak
ReplyDeleteof sin today...
We do not like to be reminded how much a part it is of our every day existences. You have given much thought to this excellent interpretation of the prompt, Susan.
Thank you, Kerry. Believe it or not, this started out as play!
DeleteMost actors and actress's say that the bad guy always has the best part. I tend to think so too. Yes, I liked the back and forth debate in this. It still comes down to free will and, making our own choices though, doesn't it. Whether it's for good or for evil. My step father called any music made after the 1950's the Devil's music...lol
ReplyDeleteLovely write.
Compared to artistic depiction of devils, being good is almost boring. Look at Dracula and Van Helsing! I thought more of gloating and glee than debate while I was writing this though. My folks also saw the Stones as "Devil's music" but I think that was because the sound kept them from hearing the words to what is a actually a protest song, and definitely a warning. It's one of the few Stones songs I truly like.
DeleteI was giddy when I saw the song!
ReplyDeleteGreat take and I love the dialog.
Thanks Rene!
DeleteYour first lines (and its repetitions) hooked me. Your poem made me stop and think. And I have to agree: the Devil is a human creation in more ways than one.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Peggy. That is exactly the reaction that I was hoping for!
DeleteThis is absolutely outstanding! I seriously love this.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Mama Zen. I'm not sure it would work without he Rolling Stones. Are you an old fan? a new fan?
DeleteIf you did not love me,
ReplyDeleteI could not exist
And I love how you love me—
i like the repetition in that susan..i find truth in that...i think there is an enchantment to devils and it gives us an opportunity to live out a role we are often unwilling to take in real life...and lets be honest the bad boys also get the attention..something we learn at at an early age...smiles...
i did not catch a back and forth though i can see how some might think that with the back and forth from italicized to plane text....nice interweaving as well of the classical line and even the song...smiles.
Yes, "the bad boys get the attention" and seem to be winning. In the public schools teachers are asked to make so many concessions I sometimes felt that we were teaching kids that everything is ok if you can get away with it. I'm glad the repetition works, I wanted it to sound slimy and Vampire-like, as in Dracula with the ladies. The devil is always so hungry!
DeleteAbout the voices, Brian, thanks for telling me what you think. I see what you are saying. I think I might try blending the lines in with the same size and font. Of course, then I will need quotation marks which might be just as bad.
I made a few tiny little alterations which may make it run a little more smoothly.
DeleteAbsolutely love this...you show how the devil hides in plain sight and how, in many ways, we love it (or "I could not exist"). Oh, yeah..love that Rolling Stone's song too!
ReplyDeleteI really like this:
ReplyDelete"and multiple apologists
this side of madness"
Thanks. Yes. Scarey.
Deleteyes, yes! and i love "the language of echo."
ReplyDeleteHappiness!
DeleteFirst of all, it is only fitting that someone include this song with their offering for my challenge. I'm glad that you did!
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of the masks and the fulminating over dress and music when that's not the real evil at all. A little truth mixed with a big lie, that's the recipe.
I also love the sly fitting in of the line from "To The Virgins, To Make Much Of Time". Lastly, I wonder if you were intentionally echoing the innocent old pop song in the "love how you love me" lines? I expect you were, and the way it's used makes them chilling. Altogether beautifully done, Susan. Thank so much for gracing FBF with this.
Here you are! I just had this posted under my name--something is definitely not working right.
ReplyDeleteYou GOT the formula, of course. I know "I Love How You Love me" from The Lettermen in the 1960s. I think, after all, I should look for it and post it here if it exists on You Tube. I LOVE that you liked what you read in this post--I have been devilishly curious, and now I am happy.
Susan - what else can I say? I think Wow covers it after all these great comments. :-)
ReplyDeleteThank you for visiting, liking, and letting me know.
Delete