seventh heaven

BY PATTI SMITH

Oh Raphael. Guardian angel. In love and crime

all things move in sevens. seven compartments

in the heart. the seven elaborate temptations.

seven devils cast from Mary Magdalene whore

of Christ. the seven marvelous voyages of Sinbad.

sin/bad. And the number seven branded forever

on the forehead of Cain. The first inspired man.

The father of desire and murder. But his was not

the first ecstasy. Consider his mother.

Eve’s was the crime of curiosity. As the saying

goes: it killed the pussy. One bad apple spoiled

the whole shot. But be sure it was no apple.

An apple looks like an ass. It’s fags’ fruit.

It must have been a tomato.

Or better yet. A mango.

She bit. Must we blame her. abuse her.

poor sweet bitch. perhaps there’s more to the story.

think of Satan as some stud.

maybe her knees were open.

satan snakes between them.

they open wider

snakes up her thighs

rubs against her for a while

more than the tree of knowledge was about

to be eaten…she shudders her first shudder

pleasure pleasure garden

was she sorry

are we ever girls

was she a good lay

god only knows