The Modern Faust

A look at the unfolding politics of the world, as seen from a senior devil writing to a junior, as a homage to C.S. Lewis.

The Modern Faust

Screwtape, it is a while since I wrote to you,
And while global events are not our purview,
But individual souls, destined to be taken here,
A strange change in the world has given fear
To so many, of the stranger, fleeing war to peace:
The outsider, and here our work does not cease,
But builds upon fear and loathing of the other,
Losing sight in numbers of children and mother,
Wailing in the massacre of the innocent by bomb
With even less compassion than after Somme;
But putting their country first, then family next,
We see that they have been so corrupted, so hexed,
That they even see it as Christian teaching now,
And charity begins at home becomes their vow,
As they snatch aid from the poorest of the poor,
And seek to slam against them a solid door;
They have instead despised the humble and meek,
And kept riches to themselves, not for the weak,
Their souls do magnify Our Father Below today,
As they lose all the truth in what they say;
We bend them to call out for free speech,
Unleashing those who would just hatred preach;
All that matters to them is to make a deal,
And power so enables them to steal,
All that is good and honest and true;
Despise compassion, tear asunder the glue,
That with law brings justice down to bear,
Because, Screwtape, they just do not care;
Making the deal is all they aim to win,
And they have long ago lost sight of sin,
Much to our advantage, but not theirs:
We can steal away empathy and cares,
And make it seem a sign of the strong,
As they lose sight of right and wrong;
The modern Faust, so keen for a deal:
It is child’s play their souls to steal!