You

I stared into the mirror today.
I saw you -
a needled zealot
hovering around my left shoulder;
Adolph Hitler dressed in 
opium-perfumed swatches.

You smelled like her.
You acted like him.
You looked like me.
Swastika tall and evenly abhorrent.
Syringe-insured yet,
never sharp enough to 
successfully stab 
outside the 50-point cork.

You slithered like a quadroplegic, 
into my stratum.
Pointing and probing
a crooked finger -
never healing 
the martyr's wound.

A broken grimace leaves me
ugly flesh to ponder.
Your tentacles:
toothless cleavers eclipse
black-dilated pupils, 
servicing our
boomeranged arms
with dingoed malice -
peppermint leaves and peroxide boil
as the living corpse cackles.

Mussolini removed 
thirteen quieted quills 
from his heart
shortly before the noose was tied.
Into square knots.
Into napkin pleats.
Into a poet's silence - where
our self-induced stupor 
was dragged upon 
spiked cobblestones -

and for that,
my dear Stalin beauty;
I sew my spit into
vile words -
dribbling purposely
upon this diseased
cotton-swabbed
canvas
for you
and I

to clean.
Copyright © | Year Posted 2008


Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.

Please Login to post a comment

Date: 8/25/2013 8:32:00 AM
Good morning John, ,CONGRATULATIONS!!! on having your poem Featured on the soups home page. enjoy your coming week. Always & Forever * Linda
Login to Reply
Date: 8/24/2013 6:14:00 PM
John, congratulations, on your featured poem of the week. Take Care ~SKAT~ :-)
Login to Reply
Date: 8/19/2013 12:20:00 PM
wow...powerful words and great images in this piece...congrats on having it featured!
Login to Reply
Date: 8/19/2013 9:09:00 AM
Ah there you are my friend clever writer and intense feeler of words how are you ? Congrats on your wonderful featured poem ! Love you Laura (C gal) :)
Login to Reply
Date: 4/8/2009 11:26:00 AM
powerful...glad i found this read...
Login to Reply
Date: 12/22/2008 6:58:00 AM
Wow John...I missed this the first time! Amazing poem, and deep with truth! Congratulations on being a winner in the contest!! And Happy Holidays to you and yours! ~ Carrie
Login to Reply
Date: 12/22/2008 5:47:00 AM
Congratulations John on your win in Michael's contest. Another intense, amazing well deserved poem, and win. Love, Shar
Login to Reply
Date: 12/22/2008 12:52:00 AM
Congratulations on your well deserved 4th Place WIN in Michael's contest. Best, Nigel
Login to Reply
Date: 12/22/2008 12:30:00 AM
Congrats on your deserved success in Michaels' contest John.Rgds Brian & thanks for your always welcome comments on my postings
Login to Reply
Date: 12/21/2008 8:47:00 PM
John, I have read and re-read this. Metaphorically speaking - a relationship with an uncompromising Russian woman that was hell on earth (Hitler) Betrayal (Mussolini) hung and drug through the cobblestoned street. The Boomeraned arms ( you keep going back only to be chewed up again). I gather the nightmare is over. For your sake - I hope so. Love, Lainie
Login to Reply
Date: 10/6/2008 7:19:00 AM
Well Done John! your angry pen has been weiled a silver bullet, stake, pitch fork and spitoon toward such vileness... and disgusting acts of terrorism... the aforementioned were indeed some of the most ruthless killers that every walked the earth... This is a very power-packed write. I pray that all is well with you my friend and I thank you for sharing the read. God's Love and Many Blessings, Always, Adell
Login to Reply
Date: 9/26/2008 2:21:00 PM
John I reckon you broke it down as far as it can be broken in this poem - truly amazing as your poetry always is - God Bless
Login to Reply
Date: 9/26/2008 11:56:00 AM
Wow, so much introspection and depth. All your works are completely brilliant. You never pen anything that is less than amazing. Best wishes, Sara:)
Login to Reply
Date: 9/25/2008 10:51:00 AM
John you are so you, filled with wild expression and depth and so cleverly done ugly and all I love it! Well thought out!!! Laura :)
Login to Reply
Date: 9/25/2008 9:45:00 AM
Good one Ezra!
Login to Reply
Date: 9/25/2008 5:01:00 AM
Yikes, I would not want to be on the business end of this poem! Your pointed expressive talents shine black silver in this one - perfect. This is very good, as all of your poetry, always look forward to your poetry, Kristin
Login to Reply
Date: 9/24/2008 8:26:00 PM
HAHAHAHA! I hope she gets it. reminded me of a FRIENDS episode where chandler suggested the name Joseph Stalin as Joey's screen name. The latter considered it, can you believe that??? Nice take on these three former dictators.
Login to Reply
Get a Premium Membership
Get more exposure for your poetry and more features with a Premium Membership.
Book: Reflection on the Important Things

Member Area

My Admin
Profile and Settings
Edit My Poems
Edit My Quotes
Edit My Short Stories
Edit My Articles
My Comments Inboxes
My Comments Outboxes
Soup Mail
Poetry Contests
Contest Results/Status
Followers
Poems of Poets I Follow
Friend Builder

Soup Social

Poetry Forum
New/Upcoming Features
The Wall
Soup Facebook Page
Who is Online
Link to Us

Member Poems

Poems - Top 100 New
Poems - Top 100 All-Time
Poems - Best
Poems - by Topic
Poems - New (All)
Poems - New (PM)
Poems - New by Poet
Poems - Read
Poems - Unread

Member Poets

Poets - Best New
Poets - New
Poets - Top 100 Most Poems
Poets - Top 100 Most Poems Recent
Poets - Top 100 Community
Poets - Top 100 Contest

Famous Poems

Famous Poems - African American
Famous Poems - Best
Famous Poems - Classical
Famous Poems - English
Famous Poems - Haiku
Famous Poems - Love
Famous Poems - Short
Famous Poems - Top 100

Famous Poets

Famous Poets - Living
Famous Poets - Most Popular
Famous Poets - Top 100
Famous Poets - Best
Famous Poets - Women
Famous Poets - African American
Famous Poets - Beat
Famous Poets - Cinquain
Famous Poets - Classical
Famous Poets - English
Famous Poets - Haiku
Famous Poets - Hindi
Famous Poets - Jewish
Famous Poets - Love
Famous Poets - Metaphysical
Famous Poets - Modern
Famous Poets - Punjabi
Famous Poets - Romantic
Famous Poets - Spanish
Famous Poets - Suicidal
Famous Poets - Urdu
Famous Poets - War

Poetry Resources

Anagrams
Bible
Book Store
Character Counter
Cliché Finder
Poetry Clichés
Common Words
Copyright Information
Grammar
Grammar Checker
Homonym
Homophones
How to Write a Poem
Lyrics
Love Poem Generator
New Poetic Forms
Plagiarism Checker
Poetry Art
Publishing
Random Word Generator
Spell Checker
What is Good Poetry?
Word Counter