The Virginal Brides by Alex S. Johnson

In his crimson-lined cape, 

Bela's resplendent. A cruel matinee idol, a

walking corpse. Widow's peak, hypnotic eyes,

white zombie seducer. He pulls the 

strings, strung out himself on junk. The

virginal brides file past the womb-tomb, 

long white fingers splayed out before them.

In an orgy of bloodlust they feast on a child

delivered to their waiting beaks, jaws foaming,

lathered crimson. Bela's shadow stretches 

through the window as he folds the rest of 

himself into a pair of black wings, signifying

the end game. He flies through the air, arriving

at her window. The poet raises her head 

thinking of Sleepytime Bears, frowsy bed-hair.

She reaches for the pipe and tucks in with the

gut-soother, opium. Now she and Bela fly

together, their souls knit together. 

The virginal brides descend 

endlessly down the

spiral staircase 

performing a 

Moebius striptease 

operation.

Life as we know it has

reached

critical black

mass.

The endgame approaches.

Aurelia De Quincey, vampire poet,

sleek as the dreams of obsidian with

ten times the glamor

Rocks back and forth through the

penning of a new verse. She places her

writing instrument, a Mont Blanc fountain pen

given her by the Arab millionaire, on the

zinc oxide bartop. Lifts the FDR/HST cigarette

holder to lips that haunt many 

dreams. Blows a perfect smoke

circle into the following

century.

Alex S. Johnson is the author of many books, including most recently THUNDERSTRUCK, a dark poetry collection written in collaboration with Sandy DeLuca and Alea Celeste Williams, and the critically-acclaimed THE FLOWERS OF DOOM. Recently his books THE DOOM HIPPIES and SKULL VINYL were acquired by the Widener Library at Harvard University for their cultural significance. Johnson's work has appeared in poeticdiversity, Misfits, Horror Sleaze Trash, Dark Angel, HWA POETRY SHOWCASE III, HYDROPHOBIA, 13 Mynah Birds, Bizarro Central, Bloodsongs magazine, Cthulhu Sex and much more. He lives in Carmichael, California with his family where he runs Nocturnicorn Books and the SMOL BEAR N' PICKLES Youtube interview show, with guests that include that acclaimed dark fiction authors Seb Doubinsky and Kathe Koja as well as bestselling author and entrepreneur Lyric Rivera, aka Neurodivergent Rebel.