The Long Slide

I climbed on the backs
of the other monkeys
to get to the top 

I ignored their protesting
complaining
crying

I looked in their eyes
I didn’t care
threw  banana skins
laughed when they slipped

laughed as they scrabbled
for the shiny stones
dropping from their pockets

each one
broke their spines
falling from rung to rung
I climbed and climbed

above the trees
above the houses
higher than the spires

peering down from among
the golden clouds
I noticed underneath the monkeys
were all the other animals
an infinite pile
descending into madness

I looked away
toward the face of God

but He turned His head
hiding His face
behind His hands

and I realised 

all I had left to look at
was a long slide.