The Scorpion King

By Steven Greyheart

on a hilltop surrounded by dead trees,
the scorpion king lorded over all.
his lying stinger found a home with ease—
I hungered for him in unbroken thrall.inside a makeshift rocket ship to Mars,
he nurtured nettles to ensnare the pure.
heedlessly straying from my grounding stars,
I orbited the body of a boor.black-dosing incantations did his work,
and vultures ate with glee my heated heart.
my blue Brontëan brain began to lurk,
to blow my budding universe apart.

my typing fingers, even now,
are furious.

I stood taller than the highest mountain.
I stole his bad blood and built a fountain.

• back to sunscreen at night toc

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