Demon In His Heart

Demon In His Heart
© Surazeus
2024 11 07

Striding from work at First National Bank 
where he manages loan payment accounts, 
Edwin Dudley drops penny in the cup 
held by the monkey smiling by the door 
and enters Theater of the Absurd 
to attend the Friday night vaudeville show. 

Placing well-brushed bowler hat on his lap, 
Edwin claps when young shepherd girl appears, 
dressed in white lace gown with red-ribboned hat, 
who sings heart-aching song of lost romance 
while twirling shepherd crook with casual grace, 
then bows and winks to cheers and wild applause. 

Slipping through back door with bouquet of roses, 
Edwin hurries down crowded corridor, 
dodging clowns, tap dancers, and banjo players, 
to knock on door of the cute shepherd girl 
whose sweet voice welcomes him to come inside, 
but he finds himself in vast room of mirrors. 

Searching the endless maze of fun-house mirrors, 
Edwin trots past distorted images 
of himself as different personages, 
kings, prophets, fishermen, carpenters, clowns, 
and many other fairy-tale characters, 
so he grumbles that none of them are him. 

Stopping before large mirror on the wall, 
Edwin sees himself as the bright-eyed seraph 
with six flaming wings of ten thousand eyes, 
so he opens jeweled door of his chest 
to sense aggressive demon in his heart 
as bearded Cernunnos with antlered crown. 

Racing through forest of Broceliande, 
Edwin as Odin, the Green Wanderer,  
twirls brass scepter with graceful martial arts 
to battle cruel tyrant in metal armor 
who swings sharp sword in battle for the world 
between forest wizard and palace king. 

Angling brass scepter tipped with diamond eye, 
Odin beams sharp ray of divine sunlight 
that blinds oppressive castle king with truth, 
then knocks iron helm off to clank on rocks 
and crushes his skull with swift blow of justice, 
so peace-attacking thief falls in defeat. 

Stumbling through curtain to her dressing room, 
Edwin sees Clara at her vanity 
cleaning makeup off her face with washcloths, 
so he helps her take off the shepherd dress, 
then they eat supper at the Crow Cafe, 
while he tells her about his bizarre dream.