76
KONX OM PAX
He wrote in flame upon the grass
“ This person is a perfect ass.”
He vanished
in a cloud of musk.
He sent the demons of the dusk
To ramp and rage about the links
To tease me—Me, the stony Sphinx!
I smiled; I bent them to my will;
I set them dancing deosil,
And singing with seraphic
glee
“There is none other God than He.”
The devil saw that he had failed.
He came back very draggle-tailed;
And, poised above me in the air,
Whined “Mr. Sphinx,
now, is it fair?
My business is to rack the bones
Of saints like you and Mr. Jones!
I’m paid to accuse the brethren, sir!"
“ I do not blame you, Lucifer.
I take my pleasure in your frown
Because you ‘represent
the Crown.’
And all your prattle means to me:
There is none other God than He.”
The Devil seemed to see the point.
Pleased
that I did not say “Aroint l ”
Pleased
that in Asmodee
I sight
Brave Lucifer, the Lord of Light,
Pleased
with my Qabalistic pun
(Really a very clever one
1),
Accepted
all and none; became
A perfect vessel of the Flame.
He flapped his crooked
and gloomy wing
And swore by God the Holy King