Canticle

A frightful tale of music and a certain evil that plays to our fears...literally.

Canticle

By

Carlos Lorenzo Estrada 

(A Devil's Song)

A stranger walked into a pub

cloaked in robes of red

As hush fell 'pon the gathered throng

while a midnight wind had fled

It cast away its garments 

stood still and unafraid 

In fear the people cried aloud

and all began to pray

It lept upon the table 

this vile thing I saw

Far from human; not a beast

a creature thin and tall

Naked in its wretchedness 

Leering in disgust 

A grin too big for its face

it licked the air with lust

Upon its long and boney hands

It played a violin 

A song so irredeemable 

forsaken in its sin

Its hooves tapped 'pon the table 

while tail swayed to tune

A melody that played to night

brought darkness to the room 

The crowd entranced within the pub

Waltzed frenzied 'pon the floor 

Controlled by wicked carnel urge

they begged and screamed for more

The Devil did not disappoint 

this rabble in their need

Plucked against the horrid strings

made fingers start to bleed

The eerie sounds that echoed loud

rose high maniacally

As depraved horde fell to the hymn 

of...Mephistopheles

 

Author's Note

Now Charlie Daniels may have won with a fiddling devil but what about the battles Satan has had victories in? Years ago my grandmother was in her kitchen listening to a Spanish station on the radio. I didn't understand what the newscaster was saying because my Spanish is awful. But she proceeded to tell me about a story about a small village in Mexico. There was a wedding celebration occurring and as it started to wind down deep into the night a stranger suddenly appeared and requested a last dance from the bride. She accepted and the handsome man took her hand and led her before the crowd in the town square. They began to dance as all watched in silence. And suddenly mid way both the bride and stranger began to fload into the air. It was then that those in the crowd noticed the man had no feet, but instead hooves like a goat. They screamed in horror and everything went black. When it was bright again the bride was gone along with the odd man. She was never heard from again. That scary story scared the hell out of me when my grandmother told it to me. I don't know if she made it up pretending the Spanish news guy had said that, but it didn't matter because it kept an unruly child quiet for the rest of the day. CLE

Reviews

[jacob erin-cilberto]

I read this before your author's note, and was already humming The Devil went down to Georgia...as I read.
We need Johnny to come to this bar and embarrass him.
but your author's note is a scary story as well.

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you J for your thoughts on this poem. Geez I remember way back when that Charlie Daniels tune first came out and how such a big hit it was at the time. I want to say I saw him play it on the entertainment show Hee Haw back in the day. And yes that story my grandmother shared with me scared the living daylights out of me. Though later in life I believed she was just kidding me. She also used to tell me about a woman she knew who gave birth to a half frog baby after swimming naked in a river back in Guatemala. She could be pretty superstitious at times. Thank you again my friend.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

but some superstitions maybe more than just that...I think.
oh, Hee Haw....Junior Sample..."you don't need no down payment, just give us your kids and we'll give them back when you pay for the car"---

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Lol Hee Haw you gotta love that show. Plus was a fan of the Mac Davis show as well. Geez I can still remember a lot of those old tv shows like happy days, Laverne and Shirley, Good Times, Chico and the man, and on and on. Every afternoon once getting home from school I would watch the Brady bunch, I love Lucy, bewitched, Gilligan's island, and more. Geez I miss those days.

[John the Baptist]

Nothing like a naked, hooved violinist to ruin a pleasant night at the pub. It's enough to make you stop drinking. Almost.

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Lol I agree. Hell, I would probably buy the devil a beer if he took requests. Thank you JB for your comment my friend.