the book of marrone

it's kind of brown
doesn't lead anywhere
not involving any crucibles, chalices or dreaming spires
sits you down when you least expect it
won't make any promises
doesn't demand you paint your shoes
it will let you use electricity
doesn't make you wear silly hats or robes
lets you trim your beard and sideburns
it doesn't have a holy land
and won't demand crusades
no tall stories about big heads
women play a prominent role
not just seductresses and mothers
sweet mother earth
what are you worth?
you can eat all the meat you want
goat, pork, beef and rodent
it will leave you with some doubt
but none of it will be about the book
double spacing
extra large print
if you swear on it
it'll most likely swear back on you
there will be no need to stay up at solstices
no scrounging about clearings
paying masons to carve out your gargoyles
it may be of use to impress the ladies
it will definitely be of use to show the blokes up
keep your bincolulars in the cupboard
you won't need to pray or prey
no need to whack yourself silly
or wear a shirt of hessian
hardly a demanding book
not like some
you can still peep through the keyhole
and you can tell your cousin all about it
you might make out the hut in the woods
the one beyond the lake
and learn the meaning of life
you won't need to follow a gourd
eat acid laced lichen
and speak with its avatars
then again, the book won't commit itself
best of all there are no illustrations
so you can dream it all up
the protagonists will follow your intelligent design
fuck the pope's
keep on your toes
sooner or later
someone will throw it at you