How the Demons Were Assimilated &

Became Productive Citizens

The demons were more beautiful than the angels.

They had no qualms about plastic surgery.

They took to wearing black:  didn't show dirt

In the city like Innocence, which anyway

Couldn't be worn between Labor Day and Easter.

They tired of grudging angels their gilded hair

& had theirs done.  Their complexions were so pale

The blond looked natural, only more so.

They shrunk their wings into fashionable tattoos

So cashmere suits draped better from their shoulders.

Elocution lessons turned hisses to lisps.

The demons converted.  They became Episcopalian,

Name-dropped high-ups in the Company of Heaven.

As for Evil, it became too much trouble:

The demons started to shirk the menial jobs

Which like good deeds, took one among the poor,

And bruised the manicure of rose-petal nails.

They preferred to stand by & watch Evil happen,

Or offended by odors & noise, even turned away.

They had become so beautiful, even the angels

(Who never looked in mirrors to comb their hair,

Afraid to be called vain, & never bought clothes

Since the old ones didn't wear out, just got shabby)

Left the lovely demons to languish, dropping all charges

On the spoiled creatures.  They were that good.

Alicia E. Stallings

© Alicia E. Stallings.  From Archaic Smile, University

of Evansville Press; originally printed in The Beloit Poetry

Journal; reprinted by permission of the author.