February 26–March 3 ❘ Cheat

Feb 26

Cheat

Satan wants to persuade you
he’s a fairy tale, a metaphor
for human selfishness

to bore a hole into your heart,
bind you thread by thread
with flaxen cords of flattery

to convince you
life’s too short not to indulge,
just this once, every day

to distract you as he swaps
pride for joy, bitterness
for wisdom, gluttony for peace.

Heaven knows, he really wants
not to exist at all—but since no rage,
no misery can snuff his soul,

he’ll instead teach you he isn’t real.
Then he’ll make you pay
to the uttermost.

March 4–10 ❘ Isles of the Sea