Riding the Hellevator

As Aeneus carried Anchises 

out of burning Troy 

towards the stars and away from crisis, 

their creator cradles you, old boy, 

from the frozen core. 

Ascend fallen light! From grief to joy, 

Wisdom Supreme, a Primal paramour. 

Lucifer’s faces— 

a trinity. The colors of coral 

snakes: black and yellow are adjacent 

to a red center. 

Mouths agape. Stripping victims naked 

and flayed. Three betrayers, now hindered, 

a Hieronymus scene— 

captives of artificial winter. 

The Scarlet King, slumlord Supreme, 

on the day of rent. 

Your tenants, neither dead nor living, 

deprived of either state, are akin 

to Schrödinger’s pet— 

shades with flesh as warm as sin. 

Oh, Isis, sister of desert Set, 

—Io, a life prior— 

rebirth owed as interest for the debt 

of the deathless. Place in Hell’s fire 

Osiris’ feather. 

Shuffle Tarot cards, deal, and scry or 

ponder. Death of Christ. Death of Caesar. 

Victims of their vices. 

Leave them here in ancient theater.

---

John Wise (he/ him) is a middle school English teacher living in Florida. Whether writing on his own or when working with his students, he promotes writing that is deeply rooted in curiosity, craft, and the sheer joy of creating. John has poems published or forthcoming in Midsummer Dream House, Seedlings, JAKE, Pine Hill Review, and Moonlit Getaway, among other publications. You can find him on BlueSky @central2nowhere.