Mrs. Evans' Presbyterian Church Book Club

Languid, I tear the pin out of the grenade with my teeth
and throw it into Mrs. Evans' Presbyterian Church
Book Club, who voted just barely for a poet to appear.

A scientist, an evangelical preacher and a poet
were in an elevator. Which one is a liar?

"The poet!" screamed the Book Club.

Who will lead you to the future?

"The scientist!" screamed the Book Club.

And who has kissed the devil?

The Book Club halted, and all heads moved
this way and that in slow seizure mode,
as if they'd been struck dumb by a witch.

I have their tongues. Time to stick a key
into their hearts, turn it, unlock the door—
room full of every word they ever searched for.

I leave bread crumbs into the sky everywhere I go,
but a lot of people would rather starve than know
how I moved so fast and stole all their watches.

All three kissed the devil.