Martin Luther’s Plea to the Devil, or The Evil of Anality

MARTIN LUTHER’S PLEA TO THE DEVIL, or

THE EVIL OF ANALITY

by Kelp

“We must conclude, that Luther’s use of … anal patterns was an attempt to find a safety-valve when unrelenting inner pressure threatened to make devotion unbearable and sublimity hateful …. The regressive aspects of this pressure, and the resulting obsessive and paranoid focus on single figures such as the Pope and the Devil, leave little doubt that a transference had taken place … and that a central theme in this transference was anal defiance.” Erik Erikson, Young Man Luther

Martin Luther
Hurled his tortured curses at the Devil:
“Can you rid me of my bowels?
Can you rid me of my bowels?”

The holding in
The letting go, the fetid excremental flow.
Disgusted and repulsed him,
Tormented and convulsed him.

“O king of crap,
I loathe the filth, I cannot stand the stench,
Rip this rectum, take a knife,
Free me from this fecal life.

“This pain inside,”
He shut his eyes, “the agony’s unbearable.
Cramps that bloat and ache and swell!
Save me from this anal hell!”

The Devil shat
And sat in shit, and stewed in it, and farted.
“Ask your God,” his breath was foul,
“To save you from your horrid bowel.”

Martin Luther
Ground his fist into his gut and shouted:
“You’re the Lord of Flies and Pain.
All this shit is your domain.”

The Devil shat
And ate his shit, and smiled a bit, and farted.
“Don’t come to me for care and hope,
Take your shit to the goddamned Pope!”

Martin Luther
Flushed and flustered, could not hold in his anger.
“You’re an asshole, Evil One,
And to hell with everyone.”

From that German
On that day, disturbed and most disturbing,
From that vile manure heap.
A frenzied furor of rage would seep.