Two Vices

      1. Sloth

      Slyest of vices,
      You play at being a Greek god,
      Laurel wreathèd, stern of face.

      You drag my spirit across my morning.
      Sulk in the antechamber of my noon,
      Empty my moments of all charm.

      Then, as evening's comes
      You show yourself, shamelessly,
      A reflection on my clock's face.
       
       

      2. Gluttony

      O, you crude demon vice,
      You possess my soul.

      You twist your twisted self
      Into my very flesh.

      Cloth you make for me
      A hunger for bread.

      Wood you make for me
      A hunger for rich sauce.

      Light you make for me
      A yearning for the particular taste of chocolate
      Spreading melting richness in my mouth.

      ---James Bolner, Sr.
      Baton Rouge,
      February, 2000