Confession

I dreamt the word hell
Slipped out of Dante's Inferno and
Walked into a café wearing a pair of
Cowboy boots
And I made the sign of the cross
And called my lover to say
I forgot to do something
I'll be running late
Want me to pick up spaghetti for supper?
And she said
I'm okay
But see ya soon
Be safe
Then I went to hell
Just to chat
And we quickly moved outside
Where I accepted a smoke
And a young couple glared at us righteously
Reminding me of myself
From the decade prior
And I thought
Why spoil the surprise
For youth in their prime?
And with a Mona Lisa half-smile
(Which made me wanna floss with hell's
Double L's)
Hell confessed
I could kick their asses
If I really wanted to
But why ruin
My brand-spankin'-new boots? --
A leading question requiring
Only one response:
Laughter straight from the pits of ...
A man tips his hat to a desperado --
Greets a stranger danger a wordless hello --
Gains life everlasting in the inferno
For the modest sum of his restless soul.