El Diablo

“The Devil is a gentleman, and asks you down to stay
At his little place at What’sitsname (it isn’t far away).”
- “The Aristocrat”, G.K. Chesterton

At the doorstep
you’re handed a drink,
hot and sweet. Red sky
above and nothing
below, head spins
and you’ve only seen
vestibule. He’s proud
of what he’s done
with the place.
An old magician waits,
saw in hand, hollow
cheeks. Rooms
without purpose
or form, strange color
of the firelight.
Inside each bedroom
a bone-thin hand waits
beneath the mattress.
He asks if you’d like
another drink. You think
you hear yourself say yes.