Interview With A Ghoul

Interview with a Ghoul

I

I could not see until thoughts dark and past, 1

And skies of thought were gray and overcast.

In truth, one sees all that he wants unless,

He’s shown himself by voice, by err, or glass.

Do sit and smoke or drink your wine as I

Will tell a tale where truth hath bit my eye.

For never had I once have thought a night 7

So bright, could smite demons to run and hide.

Was but a bud when they had thought me not

To be no more, no less, a lad of rot.

Me mum beguile thy mouth with bitter lot

Would sit and stare out windows tightly locked.

Rid me Rit’lin, I thought with foam on chin

Until at last, I turned a day past ten. 14

II

And then my faith had turned to hopeless sin. 15

I learned a means well planned can lend to end.

To paint pictures of hope and love did send

My captors mind to soften blind and bend.

Do sip your wine again for I have more.

For parents such as mine…I must implore

You hold prognostications ‘til you’re sure. 21

For cancers made of hate, there is no cure.

No longer strapped to hug myself to sleep,

I sat awake for nights so thoughts could speak.

And soon my folks began to fall in deep.

Their ignorance was bliss, no less discreet.

Their genius boy, they soon began to boast.

But I forgot them not for all my woes. 28

III

So time had passed and now prestigious schools 29

Had lust for me as mysteries for clues.

In sport and thought, I’d broken all the rules.

To think, they once believed I’d be no use.

Now know I’m sure that me you cannot see.

Yet still, I pain to show how maggots breathe.

So sure, I do not mind if you don’t speak. 35

At least, until you’ve heard the guilt of me.

Back to the tale, whose blade beheads the hour.

The friends I’d met in school had all been sour;

They tolerated me perhaps in cower.

Perhaps the way a fracture would a tower.

One day, we all had planned to cross the line

No one would have us geeks within their mind. 42

IV

To taint the food supply with lax’ was grand; 43

We laughed at jokes of who shall not withstand.

That day I missed, preparing for exam,

So without me, they went on as had planned.

By lunch, next day we were anxious with prank.

What happened by eve left our faces blank.

Besides pandemic ills, six students died. 49

So guilt-ridden, those fools spewed without lie;

Consecutive sentences did they try.

And I wrote them for days without a sigh.

The spring after our prank, I met a love;

I’d not known free until I caught this dove.

Our days were met with nights of mem’ry past.

Upon our last school days, our vow was cast. 56

V

A face that called artists to paint in sum. 57

A voice that called angels in flight to come,

With skin as waterfalls of silk and sun,

Our hearts and souls were molded unto one.

For her, I’d face the most obdurate reigns.

I’d drink her woes and thus repress her pains.

Assassinate the rouges that tax her deeds, 63

And lay their greed under Impatiens’ seeds.

Oh, glory, lips that always tamed my brawn;

A birth of desires from dusk ‘til dawn.

To lose her love I dared to thirst for hell.

And lo, to hold her heart was heaven’s well

Until, until the day she met her match.

‘Tis why my face displayed her rage in scratch. 70

VI

Her thoughts, incongruous, and full of hate, 71

The day I had returned to work; her rape.

An oxymora time of give and take,

With each success, Oh, resentment took place.

And yea, the day our country went to war

She jumped for joy as if my work, a whore

For I was drafted, deployed, out the door. 77

And that would be the last we loved, for sure.

At first ‘twas fun to build a better me,

A stomach firm, a mind trained with speed.

And who forgets the first enemy killed?

A boy of twelve had surprised us up hill.

The joy of defending my good country

Was felt with each bullet that was let free. 84

VII

We felt an honor knowing we would help 85

To bring a peace to those disheveled.

But when rebels began to blend with non,

And war began to linger on and on,

We wondered when and why we were still there;

As bottles flew sometimes precise and square.

An internal battle, so thus we fought 91

Between rebels and innocent we caught.

It seems they both hated us being there.

It was so hard being young, being fair.

Confused by youth which plagued our decisions

We raped and killed only the wild pris’ners.

I see that you have filled your glass again.

Forgive me cher monsieur of a slow hand. 98

VIII

It is unfortunate of mem’ry’s sin 99

As I have struggled always with the end.

But thus, this time, I find the small red stain

Beneath your second button, gave me gain.

For it reminds to me, not one, but twain

Of anecdotes which has escaped my brain.

Oh glory, my comrades found the best liqueur, 105

We searched this house, it was under wicker.

And I, I…spilled a bit on my jacket.

And be…fore looking back up…heard racket.

After the burning filled up my insides,

I remember a laugh I couldn’t hide.

If any of my friends would’ve just lied,

About our college prank, I’d be alive. 112