My Therapist

is a great magician

“the cage” he screams

and the cage of birds vanishes

he picks up a glass of champagne

spits out another frog

I am proud of him

he is getting much better

light pours from his eyes

“do not be afraid,” he says

he pulls a writhing snake

out of his mouth

I throw up a little

into the trash bin

next to his desk

I am a sensitive young man

on the verge of becoming

an even more sensitive adult

my therapist knows this

he stands dramatically

in the center of the room

a second therapist

steps into view

she has been hiding

behind the velvet curtain

her lips painted red

she pulls a knife

out of her tuxedo

“no no no” my therapist says

for a moment time is frozen

then she jams the knife

into my therapist’s chest

I am speechless

someone shuts off the lights

a bird cries outside

and then it dawns on me

I have never loved anyone

from “Surprises & Pleasures” by John Maradik: factoryhollowpress.com/scram-press-book…