Angst

And as I sat alone
In tired alienation
A devil came to me and spake
“Life is not for the faint of heart”
“What do you mean, sir?”
I asked the devil.
“Victory is seized by those who
Are strong in spirit and in will

Who relentlessly
Pursue friend and foe
Ever striving, never ceasing
Those who know no limitations,”
He answered to me.
“From whence does a man
Find such a ceaseless mastery?”
I questioned the cunning devil.

The demon replied
To me these very words:
“A man finds the will to power
When he forsakes ethic’s limits
And serves only the self
Kindness is man’s death
Submit yourself to other’s will
And your life shall forever be

Tossed to and fro like
A ship upon the sea.
Command your will and conquer life
Utterly and completely
No friends only slaves
Bound unto thy will
All life is but a vain contest
In which all of men must compete

Some win and some lose
And it is your end
To be found amongst the winners
Thus caste off all inhibitions
Right is for the weak
Who fail at life’s game
The full potential of a man
Is found in unbounded freedom.”

“I cannot do this!”
I wailed unto him.
“I cannot treat a man as a slave
And disregard his dignity.
‘Do unto others
As you would have done
Unto yourself.’ The golden rule.
I cannot forsake this teaching.”

“Oh! Then you are weak!”
The devil accused.
“Have you not heard a thing I said?
those words bind a man utterly,
Tighter than shackles
Restrictive as cuffs.
The crown of victory is seized
By those men who abandon them.

Will men accord you
The same rule you keep?
You will be a foolish puppet
Danced on stage by stronger men
There are only slaves
And stronger masters.
What is it you gain by your rule?
What are the fruits of your labor?

Your toil is in vain
It renders nothing.
Long have I watched you from above
In the agony of your soul
You long for the fruit
That others consume
But you are restricted by fear
And are constricted by weakness.

The fruit that they eat
They offer you none
That fruit can only be purchased
By those who are willing to cheat
And willing to trade
Your rule for the fruit
The fruit is the crown of victory
Victory is won by real men.

Slaves do not mind it
Their subservience
Those of weak wills accept their fate
There is no evil done in it.
Behold nature’s way
Lions hunt gazelles.
The lions are men of power
And the deer are those who are weak.

The fawns are lion’s food
Made for that purpose
So consume your pound of the flesh
As a mighty beast does such
There is but one rule:
Hunt or be hunted
An animal’s defense must be
It’s vicious offense on its prey.”

Thus the devil spoke
And then he left me
Once again in isolation
Leaving his words to lie upon me
Oh! How the haunt me!
And cause temptation!
Truly do I lust for the fruit
That the strong possess by their strength

Yet I cannot leave
The path that I walk
To another no matter how
Lined with fruit trees their road may be
Something is sweeter
Than delicious fruit
No matter how I hunger for
Refreshment in the earthly apple.