Wild Beasts
Or, A Deadly Collection of Poems
“Every man has a wild beast within him.”
- Frederick the Greatwild beasts
ʍᴉlp qǝɐsʇs
Behold the beast, for which I have turned back; Do thou protect me from her, famous Sage, For she doth make my veins and pulses tremble. - Dante Alighieri, Inferno Canto I take a microscope and peer inward turn and focus light bending take a look at such wild animals dark and ravenous foul and feral take a breath as seven sins blur choke on the ache savage and swift take a bow as beasts awaken and yield to the truth of what you truly are— a predator.
prideful prick
blood of bliss blossoms bright and brilliant under fuzzy fluorescence, a fresh flagellation of skin for spending sixty seconds secretly staring like a mad man at a mirrored mirage of muscle and meat, one you obey, oblige, observe, obsess over— the tear from a taunting thick thorn teaching, taming violent vanity, a vicious vulture, venomous viper, nimbly numbed by narcotic narcissus, nailed to the cross, charged with the crime of conceit, an act you adore, adhere, advance, advocate about— the root of rising ruin, reckless and restless reality which wakes winter winds, withers wildflower wombs, a downfall of darkness drawn out during dusk and dawn. perhaps perception pulses power, potential, perfection, idols you imagine, imitate, immortalize, immerse into— you yearn for yesterday’s youth, you yield to yellow leaves, lulled into a long and lasting love for likeness, kneeling for kindness from a killer kiss of karma, gifted gravely to a grim god of guise and guilt, a union you uncover, understand, unleash, unravel under— quietness in you quakes, quickening qualm and quarrel, hallucinations haunting your hushed humanity, for vowed virtue has vanished, a victim to victorious vice, your zeal and zest zoned in on a zenith of zero, evil you enable, enact, enchant, enamor ever and ever!
a(v)aricious little devil
neon l(i)ghts flash, slot machines ring, ring, ring in golden glory, th(r)ee sevens clicking in(t)o place, sweet victory sounding, drowning out the buzz, buzz, b(u)zz of your pocket(e)d phone, anxious spouse waiting. waiting at home, with three kid(s) tucked tight to keep the bed bugs in fright (a)fter dark night, se(v)en kisses to stir sweet dreams, but never enough to keep away the monst(e)r under the bed for it i(s) alive and awake, leading you astray. jackpot! jackpot! jackpot! you raise your fists high in triu(m)ph, knuckles turning green with greed, (a)n inviting whisper tickling your ear like the devil himself, (m)arried to (m)oney and machine and magic, attuned to the sacred s(o)und of a vegas profit, temptatio(n) the color of copper, silver, gold. your hand reaches into your jeans, (d)igging out yet (a)nother coin, fingers feeding, heart howling, a partner once (m)ore calling, childre(n) cowering in sleepless nightmare— your soul blue to lose, (s)tomach hungry to win. jackpot! jackpot! jackpot!
the lust of men / the lore of women
a poetic analysis of female subordination under male seduction / a patriarchal motif commonly embedded in origin myths
eve with the apple / persephone with the pomegranate
seduced by a cunning snake / abducted by a pitiless god
in utopian gardens of eastward eden / in sicilian fields of finest bloom
naked skin bringing shame / maternal sorrow bringing winter
banished from pure paradise / confined to harrowing hell
inflicted with the pain of childbirth / tasked with disciplining sinners
the source of original sin / the goddess of worlds under
adam’s wife / hades’ queen
pandora with the box / eve with the apple
created beautiful to punish man / created from man’s rib
in the walls of prometheus’ house / in utopian gardens of eastward eden
innate curiosity bringing misery / innate curiosity bringing misery
damaged by male retribution / forced under male submission
blamed for releasing evil / blamed for humanity’s downfall
the first of women / the first of women
prometheus’ gift / adam’s wife
persephone with the pomegranate / pandora with the box
kidnapped to feed male desire / created beautiful to punish man
in sicilian fields of finest bloom / in the walls of prometheus’ house
maternal sorrow bringing winter / innate curiosity bringing misery
stolen due to wicked pleasure / damaged by male retribution
bound to her treacherous thief / exploited as a pawn
the prisoner of sexual appetite / the paradigm of sexual longing
hades’ queen / prometheus’ gift
the lust of men / the lore of women
patriarchal power / feminine fate
“creators” / “destroyers”
the / same / storywet with envy
splashes of chlorinated water spill like tears down your sun-kissed skin, clinging to cheap bracelets, sliding under bronze bands tight around four fingers, pale and pruney, as you heave yourself out, feet slapping the concrete like soggy rags, and take in the acres and acres of open fields and soil. the pool towel feels soft against your back as your chin tips toward a heavenly sky, eyes bright as corroded coins peering up at the murderous glow of a naked sun, soaking up the temporary warmth of financial stability. a flock of flamingo floats stir in choppy water, gently shifted, changed, by wuthering winds. out from the villa’s patio door emerges a dark shadow, growing and growing, cast out over the airy ambience like a callous, calculating cloud spun together in a silent storm. bitter beer swashes between your teeth, the bottle a chill bite against one palm, nails picked too short, skin raw and pink. sitting on your lazy ass gets you nowhere, a loud voice booms, turbulent waves lapping, sultry sunshine dimming, bitter heart rippling. steaming anger rises in your chest, simmering and bubbling and evaporating, a raging river of resentment flowing through blue veins, the words fuck you, cain streaming out like acid. smoke churns like sea foam from the cigar clenched between his pursed lips, smug smirk, breathing deep as fingertips click, click, click— laptop luminescence bright, mocking, swells of cash rolling in every fucking second, his bank account rising like a grand tidal wave, steadily swimming while you drown. you don’t think twice when your body lifts like a cold-blooded sea serpent rising from ocean depths beyond, nothing but jealousy cursing and coursing through your boiling blood as you swing and shatter the beer bottle into spikes against the pavement, chaos bleeding sourly over the pool's edge like a great flood. you don’t think twice when the jagged edge pierces your brother’s throat. he thrashes and flails like a fish fresh out of water, gasping and gulping for air, reaching out his shaking hands toward the fruits of his labor before his priceless remains slip and sink into the awaiting shallow end, exiled from his land while you float, bathed in rich red.
god of gluttony
among the clouds you sit atop a golden throne suspended in the sky, lucid and pastel white wings waving like banners you feast on silver platters fresh fish and manicured meats sweet sugars and bitter berries pitchers of water, goblets of wine all of which you savagely swallow insatiable hunger growling at every bite unquenchable thirst, selfish desire conquering even as you peer d o w n to fog and ash and smoke where teeth gnaw on your toes nails scratch at your ankles tongues swipe over tossed bones screams and wails and laments folk forgotten and broken desperate for just one taste before brutal death dines on famished flesh and starving souls. let them eat cake, you pray before breaking bread with none but yourself.
with wrath comes wreckage
match striking stones sparking tinder igniting friendships shattering shadows seething flames bursting skin scorching color blazing souls staining marriages collapsing drums beating volcanoes erupting predators pouncing blades clashing shelters crumbling lightning flashing wildfires growing ashes spreading world burning humanity fading silence sounding
snowbound s l o t h
winter’s chill greets the plant on your windowsill with brutal disregard. six petals shrivel and wilt, drooping down into dry dirt, frost and ice coiling like silver snakes. every time you walk by, soft whispers tickle your ears, pleading for sweet mercy, begging for a seed of compassion. yet time p a s s e s. a precious life cut too short due to shameful neglect, prosperous petals and rays and sepals lying coldly on their deathbeds, a flower full of beauty and passion now buried in a frozen wasteland. its voice calls out, louder and louder, straining, struggling, sending your heart a reminder to stop and smell the roses. yet time p a s s e s. you can see the tears build on your grandmother’s eyeline as she sees the once-fragrant flower, a gift of grace to you so irreplaceable, revealing the dark truth that you, too, have no care in the world, no hope for life. mumbling prayers as her fingers rub salty sadness across her lips like holy water, she mourns the loss of mother’s nature. yet time p a s s e s. and once godly creation freezes over into destruction, ice-cold air shakes your lungs, limbs shivering in selfish sin as scalding hot shower water burns your skin, washing away the guilt, barren and numb. yet the feeling never fleets, frigid but fertile, your cells and tissues disintegrating in the dead of night, redemption too far from soul’s reach.
If you enjoyed this poetry collection, check out these other poems of mine!
There’s a fearless way you lean into the darker parts without trying to make them easier to digest. It asks the reader to stay present even when it’s uncomfortable. That kind of writing takes real conviction. It holds a mirror without softening the edges. You can feel how much intention is behind every line.
Good stuff! Really liked the alliteration for Pride's