Put your head in the vice,
demanded the uniformed figure twice.
Or I will squeeze your balls under my jackboot,
with firmness and without emotion, either will suit.
Our torture methods will force you to cooperate.
You acquiesce or we target your mate.
If you prefer, the instructions will consist of a haiku.
We want you to cooperate and say what is true.
Take the road to the left or to the right.
It does not matter, darkness descends every night.
You can hold your Quran and give it a kiss,
but first we shall soak it in piss.
Gulag: Always Remember, Never Forget, poetry by Mark Erickson
