Betrayal. by Jesse Lynn Rucilez

Fireflies at dusk,

Searching, wandering,

Figure-eights and loop-de-loops beneath the stars,

Camp fires, porch lights, match flames,

So many sources of radiance,

All dangerous, no solace,  

Yet they’re hopelessly drawn,

Betrayed at birth,

By genus, species,

And God…

Butterflies at dawn,

Floating, dancing,

Figure eights and loop-de-loops beneath the rising sun,

Glimmering chrome, shiny glass, sparkling pavement,

So many places to settle,

None of them safe,

Yet they’re hopelessly drawn,

Betrayed at birth,

By genus, species,

And God…

This poem, “Betrayal,” is about everything, and about nothing at all. I have dedicated it to my two kid sisters, Julie and Madelyn. Jules, the firefly. Little Maddy, the butterfly. I love them with all my heart, and I have to find a way to protect them. To keep them from having to deal with anything like what I’ve gone through. I wish I could do it with my poetry…but that’s just not enough.

I have no idea what’s gonna happen to me. This nightmare just keeps repeating itself. But sooner or later, it, like all nightmares, has to end! And what I absolutely DO NOT want to happen is for the end of my nightmare to become the start for one or both of theirs.

Because, no matter what happens to me, Jules and Maddy must be allowed to live the way I never got to. They must remain clean and free, and I’m the only person who can make that happen.

God, I just wish I knew what to do…   

(P.S.—This will be the last poem I ever write.)

—Jesse Lynn Rucilez, Le Club du Mal

Born in Reno, Nevada, Jesse Lynn Rucilez grew up an avid reader and developed an early passion for writing stories. For most of his life, Jesse has worked in the security industry, teaching self-defense in his spare time. After several years, Jesse retired from martial arts instruction and returned to writing fiction. His hobbies include singing, playing drums, and collecting movies.

Le Club du Mal is the story of adult film star, Angelique du Mal. As a major player in the adult film industry and owner of an erotic nightclub, Angelique challenges society’s notions of not only love and sex, but also what it means to be successful. Her attitude is no-holds-barred, yet she remains grounded and loyal to family. Over the course of a day, Angelique will struggle with the demands of being both boss and mentor to a stable of exotic dancers, cope with the memory of a sister who committed suicide, and confront the man who nearly ruined everything: her father. And all of this while celebrating her twenty-ninth birthday. Le Club du Mal is available in paperback through Amazon.com @ https://www.amazon.com/Club-Mal-Jesse-Lynn-Rucilez/dp/1546640002/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8