"Primer on Torture" by John Reinhart, Frequent Contributor

Primer on Torture

John Reinhart

First, loosen all the ropes,

position the subject,

then tighten the ropes, methodically,

until there is enough pressure

to get his attention –

it may be necessary to yank

on his tongue if the ropes

do not make the subject pliable enough –

steadily tighten each rope, firmly

with sights on the goal –

focus is vital here or the subject

will sense weakness.  Grab the tongue

tightly once all the ropes are secure

and finish off with a tight knot

to hold everything in place. Double

if the session is likely to go roughly

or last all day. No

extra tools are necessary

under normal circumstances,

though Velcro is a superb aid

when dealing with the very young

or very old – the same principles apply

in those cases, minus the ropes.

Poet's Notes:  My eldest child is just learning to tie his shoes--this after spending the last year or so tying knots in various string like things around the yard and house. "Be careful. That one's a Mattheus knot" is as frequent a warning as "Be careful. That one's a Lucien knot" as little brothers and big brothers carefully follow each other's latest developments. The difficulty in untying such a knot is much more dependent on what was used to make the knot rather than the knot tier's proficiency, though the knots themselves, in practical application, almost always stand the test of whatever needs to be pulled, hoisted, or attached. I keep scissors handy. Shoelaces are another matter. There's a formula, a schematic, a tried and true method passed down through the ages.

Editor’s Note:  I admit that I read (and liked!) this one simply as a satirical horror piece.  I'm glad that I did not grasp the shoe tying metaphor until after I read the poet's notes--that led to a nice surprise!