The Shoebox - Day 11

Court of Evil
Return of the Jedi
#13, Topps, 1983

My monsters and strongmen
misunderstand me: cruelty

is a home appliance. If
I tossed coins to beggars,

I imagine it would feel
like spending power. What tastes

exquisite is the fear
in a common life of ceasing

to amuse me. This is the great
dividend for whatever fraction

of soul I've burned to write
leisure in my body. The balance

is a joke. I keep a beast
to laugh when the laughing

wears me out.