Like beasts of the jungle are born to kill
so was he
except the beasts killed for food
but he killed for the thrill
unlike the beasts of the jungle
he relished his tortures before the kills
he had no misgivings, no guilt
like sinless jungle beasts, he was born to kill
a terrible car accident left him with a concussion
and rearranged his thinking
the weight of all those tortures and kills
began to shame and torment him
as if the brain damage birthed a conscience
rendering him unable to torture and kill
he climbed to the top of a mountain cliff
jutting rocks below it
took a deep breath, began to step off the cliff
then backed away, couldn’t do it
hiking back down the mountain
stepped too close to a bear cub
screamed when he saw the mother bear
growling and racing toward him
he tried to outrun the bear until the bear caught him
and did to him what he couldn’t do to himself
now his blood and bones are scattered in the forest
and he is in a hell being tortured and killed indefinitely.
Bob Boyd