Pulp Poem of the Week

Not a kick was wasted.
Each of the two men received
two kicks in the guts,
by way of obtaining
temporary silence.
Each received
a kick in the temple,
by way of making the silence
more or less permanent.
Each received
three kicks in the face
as a lasting memento
of the kicking.

     Jim Thompson
     The Golden Gizmo
     1954