Alright, this next piece needs a little bit of explanation. This is a ghazal I wrote as a tribute to a local metal band comprised of my friends. Each stanza is dedicated to one of the members in the band. The band is called Ten Plagues so I tried to represent each one of the plagues that were brought on Egypt throughout the poem...it was not until I had finished this poem that I realized I had messed up several of the plagues but, the piece flows nicely so I decided not to mess around with it anymore. The word "arson" is repeated in each stanza because it is pretty much the chorus of one of their songs appropriately named "Arson." Finally, this poem truly shines when it is read with your best Charlton Heston impersonation...I'm not joking...it really does...
A Tribute to Ten Plagues
Jeff: Blood of the Nile covers our doors, Arson!
Your hard heart brings the angel of death, Arson!
John A.: And Fire from heaven pours over your skin
as boils erupt from deep within, Arson!
Samin: Watch darkness consume all light from above
as clouds of destructions bring starvation, Arson!
Sam: We come in hordes of happy, hopping madness.
So proud of our slime ridden bodies, Arson?!
Benet:…Flies consume the corpse of your first born child
all bodies rot and melt to green goo, Arson!