Betelguese

"Betelguese: A Trip through Hell" by Jean Louis De Esque is a lyrical poem book published in 1908. The work features a lengthy poem that relocates hell from Earth to Betelgeuse, a red supergiant star, populated by Greek mythological figures and contemporary robber barons. Written in an unusual octametric meter with inventive contractions, the poem employs off-beat language that delighted some readers while puzzling others. Compared to works by George Sterling and Kenneth Patchen, it was called both a "classic" and "unconscious parody."

Betelguese, by Jean DÉsque. Republished by OpenStories from Project Gutenberg eBook #30391.