Be Careful

Be careful of a man who laughs
at a painful whim
when it isn’t meant to be funny,
but gets serious when the joke is on him.

He may, in fact, be the Devil,
impervious to subtlety and charm.
He is always intent on evil,
alert and armed.

Perhaps he comes directly from Hell.
There’s a certain smell.
Deflecting his focus isn’t easy.
You can never tell.

So, stand up and compliment loudly,
make a formal bow,
express regret you must leave…

and, then, run like hell.