the burners

some things burn better than other things

little children, for example,

burn the best when big people need votes

easy to procure and burn, soft skin, soft tissues

freshly roasted babies in the morning

smell like victory for many

and the rest look away, cover their noses

and walk past

to see beautiful sunsets, smell beautiful roses,

read a poem by Tagore, contemplate jazz,

roll a joint,

make love, etc.

point being, if you wanna make it big in politics

and life,

burn a few urchins here & there,

and, preferably, from an inferior race

grab hold of their necks or legs

and drag them out like measly, squealing rats

give them a strong shake or two,

douse them in gasoline

(this is recession time, you might have to make do with kerosene,)

run a noose around their neck – nylon would do

and string them high, so high that the sun and the moon may feel ashamed

and the people feel frightened enough to kneel before you,

and then, once you set them on fire

hear how their skin burns, fat melts, eyes blast out of skulls,

shit blasts out of guts

bones cringe around circles of flame – and soon,

you shall see them turning into flags of your victory

declaring your might before the world, before time & history

and if history sticks to you the way it has across the past five thousand years

you will turn into a god in another five – a slayer of mighty, filthy demons

so, get to it asap

find a few kids – the tinier the better,

check out if they belong to an inferior race

check out if their folks can’t feed them square

and once these essential conditions are satisfied,

go ahead,

feel free

burn them

skin them

hang them

quarter them

chop them to tinier bits –

all depending on your tastes and penchants

and soon, you shall turn into a hero, a leader of the masses,

and all world shall yours be.