The Devil exists in my heart, thanks mostly to tales told me in my early childhood. He used to scare the Bejeezus out of me, but no more. Some of our fellow world citizens are far, far scarier than the so-called “Prince of Darkness.”

The Devil went down to Georgia, but before he did that he hobnobbed with such as Daniel “Denial” Webster and Alistair Crowley.

The translation of “Satan,” I am told, is “Adversary.” There is inherent wisdom in this, I think. Let us all avoid adversarial relationships.

With my epigram I tip my hat to the Rolling Stones and their two bad boys. See THEIR SATANIC MAJESTIES REQUEST for more info.

Harlan Ellison wrote a long story, “The Deathbird,” that among other things attempted to demonstrate how Satan got a bum rap, with cards stacked against him (until, ironically, Nathan Stack happened along).

The words:

Just an Adversary? He is K I L L E R on the bass
One whose taste in lingerie leans heavily on lace
Underwordly by nature not quick to condemn
Relishing those ladies who would be by him begemm’d