“devourer”

it came from distant shores,
the land from which dark Satanic mills were forged
upon the bee-gull, a clot of wood and wind
traveled the monster called Man we feared: Darwin

it stalked our island home on two feet–a bizarre, bald, bleach-fleshed beast
fingers like leeches, probing, always probing, for new additions to its feast
red-smeared maw agape, face-fur flecked with blood and gristle
offerings to Lord Devourer, of which it was most devoted apostle

turtle, lizard, bird, rodent, beetle–its tastes were undiscerning
its eyes–probing, always probing–glinting with a leering yearning
each meal, each morsel, each and every creature consumed
itemized in its terrible tome: “on the origin of species,” a tomb

— J Everett is the editor and publisher of APOCALYPSE CONFIDENTIAL