BELLY OF THE SERPENT

we move through the womb of a snake

racing sideways in the loins of this creature past its prime

it traps us in its xenophobic shell

but we laugh it off as we bask in the frigid air of progress

allowing the metal cages and the shriek and squeal of the rats

to encase us

to guide us onwards into the doom spiral

we are vomitted out onto the splattered streets

the bird shattered boardwalks

the antiseptic sump that becomes salt water

becomes recreation

the beer flows like hot grease

and everything fries beneath the caustic sun

corn dogs, tacos, and buttered corn consume our minds

and fill us with a joy that is unexplainable

for the blight creeps all around and all over us

it changes us

it breeds upon us

and we do not shy away

this is life

my feet sink deeper into the sand

causing the castle to grow

helping the buzz begin

then we find ourselves a quick reprieve

crowds sports sweet succulent hot dogs

and then we're back to the sand

my buzz deepens as joy flows through our sweat into broken plastic

and darkness falls upon our party

the day ends with fried chicken back in the belly of the serpent

this day was life for the sake of life

debauchery for the sake of sin

and big "fuck you" held out to the society of ethics