Succubus by Anna Wu

Our man went out late last night

into the little slumbering backstreets

and saw (he did) by the half-light

the fabled succubus’ outline 

so to-

-wards her he fell, fell, 

fell and no one dared to 

hear, cared to call him out of Hell 

no one on the slumbering streets

for which he yearned last night.

This morn our man said

a succubus he saw!

(he did) in the streets, florets red

gold red gold red

blood, wine and song

ringed around her head

And a tail, he said,

folded wings, claws;

and that with the dawn

she sank to ashes 

like the dead.

A laugh, our tale was, 

whispering ‘round tables

so when night fell again

no one followed our

man who’d seen a succubus

(he did!) into the streets 

and saw how 

when the dawn came 

to the ground 

they went

like 

the dead.