The Red Death

And the Red Death enveloped the gelid
City, the blood-red tide that drowned upon

The main. The crimson haze that squelched
The ancient heart, the inimitable mind that

Stanched its wounds on the azure gloaming;
Sin kissed the lamb that would be led unto

The catacombs, harrowing shallows, wolds
Dissolving, windswept sighs. Thereon the

Monolith sank its maws into the wraith filled
Land, the primordial causeway, a lifeless form

Abandoned in the rain. And the plague built
A wall to separate light from darkness, and

Madness and bloodlust reigned over all the
Earth; and the staggering colossus was filled

With unearthly quiet, for kindness and reason
And love had gone out, whereon man devoured

Man, and all who were touched by the deathly
Shadow met their fate on the shores incarnadine

David Penner has taught English and ESL within the City University of New York and at Fordham. His articles on politics and health care have appeared in CounterPunch, Dissident Voice, Dr. Linda and KevinMD; while his poetry has been published with Dissident Voice. Also a photographer, he is the author of three books: Faces of Manhattan Island, Faces of The New Economy, and Manhattan Pairs. He can be reached at: 321davidadam@gmail. Read other articles by David.