by Nora Jay

“Nike sues the maker of Lil Nas X ‘Satan Shoes’ for trademark infringement”
—CNN

Ah, Lil Nas X, I fear you may be sorry:
Already Nike’s marked you for its quarry!—
And though you may disdain the thought of Nike
(They only want your money, not your psyche),
Alas, they are not all you’ve been infringing.
Now, Lil, you won’t, I hope, indulge in whingeing:
You must have known it isn’t on the level
To sell his shoes and not inform the Devil.
After the pains you took—the fiendish logo—
I almost hate to tell you that it’s no-go;
The little drop of blood, the six-six-sixing!
Believe me, I’m impressed by what I’m nixing;
It’s just as much in sorrow as in earnest
That I declare these sneakers must be furnaced;
For copyright has rules—no need to quote them;
As everybody surely knows, I wrote them.