beneath the frog’s soft belly
i found you —
not grand, not loud,
but cracked open
like a peach too ripe with truth.

the city spun on,
drunk on ruin bars and ghosts,
but we stayed low,
where quiet grows —
thick like moss —
and hearts speak
without permission.

i didn’t say it back:
i love you.
as though feeling was a crime.
but i regret it now.
baby, i’d serve
a thousand sentences
for something so divine.

your heart
didn’t pour —
it flooded.
and now mine —
is finally open,
mouth full of your name.

i’ll let the fog burn
bright above us,
and we’ll watch
from our underworld
of whispering soil —
wine-warm,
thinly worn,
relentlessly soft.

Sarcophagus earth

eats the flesh, the bones remain --


and airy shadows.

I slipped through a portal in my body
and ended up in a strange place
am I dreaming? I asked
no, I replied, I am here
strange beings beckoned me through dark corridors
a tall pale man looked on, meekly lost
I passed tests I didn't need to pass
went through another portal in a tiny spaceship

the next station was similar
a woman who was not a woman called me over
her mouth was a gaping orifice filled with balene brush
her face was covered in antennae like stalagmite
she was a dwarf
a shifting creature of other constitution
a dimensional being of some odd persuasion
are you still the same consciousness? she asked me
wondering if I had slipped up or down while traveling, outside my identity
yes, I replied, still conscious
another of her kind slunk over, eyeing me in a predatory fashion
she waved him away subtly
she talked my head off with incomprehensible prattle
perhaps attempting to sedate me, for her opportunity to latch on
I began to fade and then
an alarm went off

I was pulled abruptly
back

Zeus and Hades Dispute the Soul of Man

Upon Olympus’ storm-crowned throne,
Zeus spoke in thunder, wrathful tone:
“Let me shape them, bold and bright,
With minds like flame and hearts of light.
They’ll build with stone, they’ll climb the skies,
Their dreams as vast as eagles rise.”

From shadowed halls and molten floor,
Rose Hades, Lord of Death and War:
“You give them fire, but I give fate.
Each heartbeat ticks toward my gate.
You build them high, but I make whole.
What good is man without his soul?”

“They are not yours!” the thunder cried,
“They breathe beneath the open sky!
Let them rejoice in song and feast,
Let love and war be theirs at least!”

Hades laughed, in low despair:
“And yet, they whisper me in prayer.
You give them hope, I give them truth
The mirror time holds up to youth.
Their gods may lie, their hearts may roam,
But every man comes crawling home.”

“They shall defy you!” Zeus proclaimed,
“With temples, towers, songs unnamed!
They’ll name me Father, King of Kings,
Their lives uplifted on my wings!”

“But when the wine runs dry,” said he,
“They’ll find their way from gods to me.
Let them rise but not forget
Their roots are born in ash and debt.
For what you raise, I shall receive
The last to hold them as they leave.”

And so the world was born of strife
Between the spark and end of life.
One gave will, the other doom,
And Man walked bravely toward his tomb.

With dreams from Zeus and dusk from shades,
A creature of both light… and grave.

Any overworld

is a palimpsest over --


a scraped underworld.

The underworld is

close at hand: ****, poo and junk --


slimy and rotting.

Hades,
God of the dead
King of the underworld
And all of its shades
The Unseen,
Giver of Wealth
Keeper of the hound Cerberus

Brother, one of a grand trio
With sisters of wonder
The renowned wealthy one
Judge of the dead
Mighty ruler is he
Keeper of mortal souls
Great is he
Upholder of the balance
In the kingdom below
Mortals, how they tremble
At his sheer power
His word is his command
Strong is he, astounding among the gods

God of peace for the deceased
Upholder of funeral rites
Defender of burial rights
Due onto the dead
Regal is he
The all-receiver
Blessed is the abundance
Of wealth he bring
Mysteries of the dark
Oh great one
Whom mortals hold
Both honor and fear
Whom many indeed revere
Divinely dark

Hands upon the earth
Reaching far below
To his realm, his domain
Sacrifices to him,
Offerings to the King
Whom ride in chariot of gold
Drawn by four horses immortal
From his kingdom below
The legends that did grow
Carrier of the scepter
To guide the shades
With his power and mystery
Thousands know his name
The God Hades

- Jay M
October 5th, 2021

the joker hid the river's whispering
under a blanket of girls, imprint faces
in a forgotten manner, joker smiled

a joker can put on a thief's smile
iceblue talk, straight from the dead
in a time lapse, joker dealt the cards

underworld creatures were filling the bar
they bowlering, deeply engaged in themselves
in a time lapse, goons ordered whisky

hollerings of massive gold bracelets
a crow, a rack or a bible, choose
in a forgotten manner, they did business