A Curse for My Demon Father

who bedded down a human wench,
and returned at term
to claim his son
to nurse with demon breath,

who took me to the nether world
where fiery screamers fill the sky,
who taught me all his demon wiles
and bound me to a demon bride,

yet neither fiend nor man am I
--my spells all quickly fade,
my soul runs mute and blind--
so by my hell-born wife I lie

awake and peer beyond the veil,
in search of otherworldly worlds
where shades of hybrid being
are like light and shadow splayed.

Appeared in Amazing Stories


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