Happy noises, heroin smiles,
the chirruping of lunatics;
all of witchery that beguiles:
read on, for these are the tricks

I play on you. You've been hexed,
you are glamoured, you're entranced,
and not in the least perplexed
that you're so pliable in my hands -

my tool, mere poppet, a toy
to play around with as i please.
See here! In my twisted joy
how i could force you to your knees,

a fusty ragdoll with a word
or dancing like a soul possessed,
compelled, no matter how absurd
my whim, no matter how addressed

in tone or slyness of appeal,
to cavort and prance at my command;
yet nothing i'll tell you is real,
not where truth isn't in demand,

nor justice believed in by fools
and hope is sought always in vain;
and by these unbreakable rules
I teach you the value of pain.

Nor begging, nor wheedling will help,
nor through bribery pay to salve:
soon, i'll leave you, a broken whelp,
forgotten and damned, unabsolved.

And then you will know how it feels
when life is nought but obstruction.
When all's lost, reality reels,
and you're tested to destruction.


MP 25424