Lucifer Takes a Break

He stirs sugar into black, watching white crystals

transluce. He rolls a cigarette, crimping a white tip

and dark tobacco carefully within the rustle of thin

paper and remembers, as he snaps a match lit,

a time before: just an instant.

There was darkness there, but warmth.

Yes, gorgeous warmth … a ‘shh’ pressed

to his lips before he was handed down.

The whisper of white noise … voices?

He remembers, how long the fall was, how sheer, how short.

He sips the coffee, thankful for its bitter sweetness.