Julian JP Lee

the book of life

     is always being

eaten: silverfish

     and termite

yellowing their pages

     nibbling holes

through days and

     years.

no matter how much

     we try to keep

their pages neat

     and tidy,

some stain always

     gets in— tea, rain, tears

blood. pages torn

     and tattered from

all that it holds— 

     the colour and violence

of real life. beloved, the

     book of your life

is as dog-eared as mine

     and that’s why i want

to read it.