To some he says

I dare you
I double dare you

Come on
You can do it

You can be as selfish as me
You can be as rich as me
Or as rich as I say I am

Tempting
Ever tempting
Tweeting bitter nothings in their ears
It’s OK to be cruel
If it is for love of your own
It is good to exclude
If it makes you feel better
It is OK to kill
All those I tell you are the bad guys

Exalting himself
Taking his seat in the temple
He declares himself God

Looking down from his self-made throne
Upon those trudging in Jesus’ footsteps
He smiles that ridiculous Joker smile and says,
“Go ahead and hate me. You know you want to.”

I dare you
I double dare you

Come on
You can do it

You can wish me dead
Because I deserve it
You can cut yourself off from friends and family
Because they are with me
You can lose faith in human nature
Because I have perverted it

Tempting
Ever tempting
Flaunting Satan’s work with a smirk

Surely this is the antichrist
Thriving on evil in all its forms
Devouring our hatred of one another
Gorging on our hatred of him
To fuel his wretchedness

I would not presume to tell you what to do
But as for me
I will not feed the beast

Debra Rose Brillati
April 2018