On Record... Poem by RIC BASTASA

there is this old woman
who is only a minute by distance
with the looks of a witch
who pretends that she is dying
and that she needs
attention and we are fools
catering to her
pretensions as we give her
all the attention

we give her fifteen million bucks
which she deposited right away to her
account
and she looks at the number in her
bank book saying

it is not enough! you've got to give me more!

and then someone says
we light a black candle for her
she is not just mad
and greedy and old
she is evil herself made
manifold