Meth In The 21st Century (Howl Reprised)

By

I too have seen the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness
gargoyle-headed, full-moon eyed and toothless
festering in the cracks of the tired city centres
too putrid to ignore
in their pursuit of the cold fix

lobotomised and ungodly
their coltish ramblings waiver out
of acoustic streets
as a tenacious echo

dirty fingernails fumbling with sweaty skin
digging and scratching with malevolent intent
feverishly trying to get to the itch underneath
that cannot be gotten to

I see them —
enthralled!
demanding to be cuffed to the madness! depraved in their lust
joyous at being crucified to the beast

the beast that is no more
than a funny-man
making a mockery out of a person
by hollowing them out like a husk

this is the age of a new deity
digestible, palpable faith
with no book of beliefs to be
shunned or debunked

only the promise of
giving what we want
but never what we need