One Shot: Oh the N(yc)-decent-see

Ascend now men, Dante was wrong
Hell has 10 floors, the first four
filled with women, in lines laden
with clothing, babbling in languages
known only to far fairer than I

Once an hour, they advance into
rooms and if they ask, how something
looks, lying won't make it go faster,
bring out your dead, bring out your...

Five is cups & bowls, but no food
fear not though each floor has a
Starbucks, with no where to sit
by Six, I saw men seated, on
porcelin stumps, unplumbed, fingers
in anguish rending their cheeks

Woe to Seven, the most gruesome,
children wrestled into straight
jacket sweaters by their mothers,
Howling! Howling! Thumbs stuck in
ears I pressed, each step, penance

Eight, all the things on the honey
do lists you put off for later, you
can even mail letters to loved ones
you fear have forgotten you & what
little hair you have not pulled out

can be shaved at Nine, by traitorous
men with strop razors, the same used
carve their imasculated smiles, while
being fitted for a wig to preserve
your miniscule dignity

At the gate of Ten, losing my sanity
I ran, screaming, beyond snatching
fingers of ladies chanting "but we
are not done yet" weaker men buckling
in fetal postures, clipped my heal
sending me sprawling through the door

A lost man, his face a swarm of bees,
beard, spit through cracked teeth,
"The con-tractors are coming for you,
to drag you to hell, and burn the flesh
from your body."

Staring from my pierced palms, I
cackled thru drool & he, assured
i was struck dull repeated---

"Thank you for shopping at Macy's."

It's One Shot Wednesday and I am late for the party! (Just walked in the door, been on the road all day) Write something poetic and come join us!