Better to eat a ball of iron
Hot as flames of fire
Than to be immoral and uncontrolled.

Don’t let the moment escape you.
Those who miss the moment regret it
When they’re consigned to a hell world.
Dhammapada 308, 315

And whosoever was not found written in the book
of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Revelation 20:15

Even if they endure their lot in patience,
the fire will still be their abode.
Quran 41:24.

Burning in hell – I guess
You get used to it

Burning in hell – I guess
You get used to it
Like the Zoom World

Burning in hell – I guess
You get used to it
Like the Zoom World

Of city council meetings
And court proceedings

Of depositions and poetry readings
And elementary school screaming

Burning in hell – I guess
You get used to it
Like the Zoom World

Of funerals and sex
Of dance parties and all-staff meetings
And five-hour safety trainings
And family interventions
And college graduations
And and and burning
Burning in hell – I guess
You get used to it
Like the Zoom World

Hell is other people
On Zoom

Dan O’Connell is a four-time award winning poet, and multiple finalist and honorable mention. His poems have appeared over seventy times. He is the author of two full-length collections of poetry, Different Coasts, and Theory of Salvation, and the chapbook State of the Union. Find Dan O. at www.danoconnellpoetry.com