The Piety of Sadism

is what turns pilgrims into tourists,
vocation and charity into consumerism,
and empties public ritual of meaning.

It hollows out martyrdom, 

which was a catalyst for change
long after it happened
into mere sadomasochism,
a perpetual mutuality of suffering.

It makes death as a sacrifice seem meaningless.

Sadism's gift, or curse,
is to normalise selfishness
to the point where to call sadists
animals is an insult to creatures
who are selfish within their means,
but are never as pointlessly cruel
as human beings are to each other.