The devil has red hair

I’ve seen her 

You won’t believe her 

Short stocky stubs 

Bare freckled chest 

She’s not bright red 

That’ll fill you with distress 

She’s not like silk 

She doesn’t move in a glide 

She stumbles 

She mumbles 

She giggles when she faults 

Excuses herself for her wrongs 

I watched her for a time 

Fear angled in the corner of my eye 

But all she does is smile 

A desperate little grin 

Begging for an invite 

Averting her eyes 

Of the inevitable end 

She creeps toward you 

Carrying a back of cracks and knots 

She pulls at the seat besides you 

Puts her hand on your chin 

Giggling at the sight on your face 

Suctioned up in an unwanted embrace 

She brushes past a wave of your curls 

A grimace glare of pearls 

Suddenly she rises 

Fluffing with clouds of ash 

Suddenly she’s glorious 

Removing her robe of lilac 

Exposing an image uncanny to yours 

Bare naked flesh that glistens 

Absently you go to reach her 

Met with a boney finger of for-shame

Winking away the chide 

She grabs you by the wrists 

She leans in closer 

Her heat provides a mist 

Her charcoal tongue licks her lips 

She sets herself pretty on the ground  

Pulling you down 

Hacking up wooden bits 

Warming herself to speak 

She grabs your scalp

Tightly she winds the strands 

And as she brings you close 

She burns you with her chant

“I used to have red hair just like that.”