Uninvited

When you think of the word

hear it,

you cringe.

A stone sinks heavy in your gut

the indigestion burns in the back of your throat

And that acidic bile after taste

Lingers bitter on the tongue

You can see it.

A reel of newspaper clippings, mugshots, and head lines

play behind the scrunched lids

of your offended eyes

The late silence of an empty lot,

lonely trail walk, or alleyway

Startled. There's a jangle of dropped keys,

a scream smothered under an unweilding hand,the crunch of gravel

when a body slams against it

And he is there.

a scavenger salivating for bones

to pick clean. His covetous prowl

concealed by night

and broken street lamps

His bite is merciless

His prey, pitiful

His deed, done.

But you don't imagine

can't imagine

the demon coming to your door

a smile cozy on his face

He dusts his feet indifferently, on your welcome mat

Enters without knocking

And you don't even stir. Don't think to

No one ever does.