Incubus: Finale
(Incubus VII)
The incubus struggles
with depression,
reluctantly fulfilling
the contract,
turning his bitches
over to
over to
Beelzebub.
He broods.
All
that brimstone
acrobatic
badass act
badass act
for
nothing.
nothing.
~August 2012
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Challenge: Words Count with Mama Zen
Mama Zen asks us to write, in 25 words or less, something using a trademark symbol, something used in our own, or in another poet's work so often as to be identified with the writer. I now have seven poems in my Incubus series, counting this one which, at least for the moment, is the last, so hopefully I've hit the mark. If you'd like to check out the others, click HERE.
Image: Death of a Whore, by Heironymous Bosch, circa 1485
Public Domain, via Wikipaintings.org
Ha! Poor guy! You manage to make him sympathetic - I picture him like Rodin's thinker with spiked tale. k.
ReplyDeleteHey, he's a close...friend. ;_)
DeleteThe thing I like about shorter pieces is the importance of word choice... not one is wasted here.
ReplyDeleteOh, I love this. But I suspect you give him way too much credit. I'm betting he enjoyed every badass moment of it. And just think, when the deed is done, Beelzebub takes them off his hands, leaving him with no tiresome encumbrances.
ReplyDeleteNo doubt. You nailed it, PK.
DeletePerfect with a little more perfect thrown in for good measure! I love it!
ReplyDeleteThanks-I've had this for awhile but thought it was too short, so thanks for giving me a chance to not have to write more on it. ;_)
Delete;) all for naught..so often the case
ReplyDeleteha. i might be depressed as well....this one made me smile a bit honestly...esp..."brimstone
ReplyDeleteacrobatic
badass act" ha...
I appreciated the twists and turns in this, loved the badass-ness of it and the imagery. Good one. I'll check out the others in the series.
ReplyDeleteHa! This is great. Love the opening, especially. And the ending gave me a big smile. Perfect title; there's so much more to this tale, and we're only catching the "tail" end.
ReplyDeleteI take it he's ready to renew his contract. :)
More like change his name and go for a few new ones. ;-)
DeleteThese few words and alliteration too in a poem that made me smile despite myself! Your incubus motif is part of a dark under layer where I have always feared to tread--literally since "the goblin will get you if you don't watch out." I still am not ready to face my demons. But yours, combined with playfulness and love of words and lore, I find quite scrumptious.
ReplyDeleteBTW I believe in this guy's defeat for about one second; he may be depressed but it's not because the devil removes the empties!
I admit it, I laughed at the end. You made this soul-stealing demon into just another working stiff. He should use his vacation days and go someplace!
ReplyDeleteThis made me giggle! Well done!
ReplyDeletePerfection!
ReplyDeleteI love the devilish playfulness of this one! Ever read "Good Omens" by Neil Gaiman and Terry Prachett?
ReplyDeleteTee hee! This is wonderful. Even a soul-sucker can't catch a break; what's the (under)world coming to? Love the Bosch painting you chose to illustrate this as well Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI like your taste in music. So I say, "What is she saying?. Then I just feel like it doesn't matter. Depression is the bitch. I love women. Demons, badasses, whatever. Fleetwood Mac. Stevie Nicks. Landslide.
ReplyDeleteWell, if you ever figure out what I'm sayin, let me know. (That cover of the Rumors album, hmmmm could be Mick's an incubus figure, looks a bit demonic--but he's got an awfully nice smile)...Landslide is one of my all time favorites, along with Gypsy--I've had that up here before with one of my poems. Thanks for looking in Scott--and depression is hell, but this time not for me. ;_)
DeleteI so loved this! LOVED. IT.
ReplyDeleteThank you Sherry--I loved your wolf one.
DeleteWhat....? He's not allowed sensitivity?
ReplyDeleteYou are so medieval Miss Witch...
(We anachronisms must stick together)
Thanks....G
That's right--you with your foot thing and me with my demon hangup--no one understands, do they?
DeleteNever a doubt that I would journey back for the first six in your series ... completely blown away is a good description of how I'm feeling now.!!!
ReplyDeleteGosh Helen--I imagine your eyes hurt if you read all of those--several of them are quite long. Thanks so much for the interest!
DeleteThis is great Hedge!! I like your view...
ReplyDelete"acrobatic
badass act
for
nothing."
:)!
Flip him on his tale/tail, Hedge. Well done, lyrically and literally. :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Ruth. I had a line about his tail(prominent in earlier versions) but with 25 words, had to go for tale instead. ;_)
DeleteSeems like dreams- nightmares in this case-or some removing of bad spirits! some paintings really do inspire at least investigation-thanks!
ReplyDeleteYour incubus character seems to have reached the finale here, with the reluctance to fulfill the contract, and the realization it has all been for nothing. I have always found this to be a strong motif in your poems, and hope the incubus may make an appearance again sometime - it is a fascinating subject and open to many interpretations.
ReplyDeletehahahahaha!! you hit the mark but please let it not be the last of the series!
ReplyDeleteThanks Tug. You never know when an incubus will decide to pop back up, so we shall see.;_)
DeleteDear Hedge: This poem really turned me on in a literal way. "Badass" damn right~!!!
ReplyDeletei just love this, it is perfect in every way.
ReplyDeleteFor Nothing! I really need to go back and read them all. I have that in my poetry "to do" list. The art work is hard to look away from! I will have to google Bosch!
ReplyDeleteBosch is pretty surreal for the 15th century, isn't he? Of course at that time, it was all religious art--most of his stuff was commissioned by the Church. If you follow the link in the credit to wikipainting, you can see all his paintings and read his bio. AFA reading the incubus poems, they really are a series, but you don't need to read them all for them to make sense--though maybe you'd get a bit more out of this really short one.
DeleteI can't imagine this being commissioned by the church! It seems very modern... a slight bit of Tim Burton for the 15th century. :)
DeleteI'm guessing Burton's spent some time with Bosch. :)I may have made up that part about being commissioned by the Church, since I can't find it anywhere now! This is from his bio " In 1488 he joined the Brotherhood of Our Lady, which was a highly respected conservative religious group, which is in part some explanation of his subject matter. " Also, weirdly, he's from the same part of the Netherlands where Van Gogh grew up, Brabant.
DeleteYes, I found your poem fascinating and I can relate!
ReplyDeleteah, i like that. i'm not sure if ive read your incubus poems, but i will have to look them up, very well done. great reading your work again... hoping i'm back for awhile
ReplyDeleteThanks wood. Good to see you.
Delete