The Devil Wears a Suit and Tie

The devil wears a suit and tie—

pressed clean,

smiling easy,

knows exactly how to sound reasonable.

He doesn’t knock things over.

He rearranges them.

Calls temptation opportunity,

calls control love,

calls silence peace

while he’s draining the room of air.

He shakes hands,

looks you in the eye,

tells you everything you want to hear

right before he takes

everything you didn’t know

you were giving away.

The devil doesn’t scream.

He persuades.

He waits until you’re tired,

until you’re lonely enough

to mistake charm for safety

and confidence for truth.

He wears a suit and tie

because evil learned

it doesn’t need horns

when it has credibility.

It doesn’t need fire

when it has patience.

And by the time you notice the cost,

you’re already wondering

how you ever thought

he was on your side.