The Resident Clinic

And the slave ravaged the slave, and so it was, and
The moons drowned unto the earth with wonder, as the
Terrors of the night clove down upon the innocent, where
Halcyon dreams unwound, and the demons howled

Maniacally as the ring of doom came calling; whereon
Two hapless gladiators were unleashed upon the undrawn
Conflagration of obsidian night, unto Beelzebub’s crater
Were found; the resident was armed with a net to snare

And entrap her victim, in her right arm she held a frightful
Trident, with sharpened spikes of which there were three,
And they glimmered over the naked tomb of the earth, thirsty
For human blood; in her left arm she held a mighty shield

Aloft to deflect blows of pernicious violence, also was the
Careerist accoutred with dread black armor, to bolster
Fortitude and bravery in battle, while the patient was naked,
And possessed neither armor nor sword nor shield, nor any

Means with which to repel or attack – for only a frightened
Heart and soul were his to engage the traitorous enemy;
Thereon did the fog of haze suddenly vanish, as these once
Siblings unto Death’s cruel machinery were thrown, until he

That was defenseless was brought low amidst the cowardly
And treacherous blows; gazing up to the lords on high, to her
Masters seated in extravagance and finery, and like an eagle
Locking in on its prey, her eye duly struck upon the thumb of

Fate pointing towards Hades down, and with the coldness of
A stone did her duty – until the light of an inimitable dream had
Gone out – forever lost unto a world in sorrow; and the slave
Ravaged the slave and so it was, as the hands of time forged

On beyond the gloaming, and the slave ravaged the slave
Beyond the half-light, as vanquished souls made moan – beyond
The scepter and the diadem, beyond the heartache and despair;
Until the crowd roared, as the conqueror vanquished the innocent
And was drowned – while the adamantine power reigned – and
All was lost, unto the sound of silence

David Penner’s articles on politics and health care have appeared in Dissident Voice, CounterPunch, Global Research, The Saker blog, OffGuardian and KevinMD; while his poetry can be found at Dissident Voice, Mad in America, and redtailedhawk.substack.com. Also a photographer, he is the author of three books of portraiture: Faces of The New Economy, Faces of Manhattan Island, and Manhattan Pairs. He can be reached at 321davidadam@gmail.com. Read other articles by David.