Against Mercy

According to the book, angels laughed

to see the contortions of the damned in hell.

Easy to forget, maybe, without gall, or grief,

or heave. There is the idea, for instance, that

what marks us inscribes in turn what we touch.

Judas’ kiss. In one legend, he meets his end in a field,

falls headlong, nose in dirt, and spills open, hollowed out

by shame.…

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