Erasure

walk the dimmed aisle

find the dusty tome,

weigh its considerable corpulence

in both hands like Lady Justice

and as your blindfold falls away

let it drop heavily

onto the reckoning table.

Begin at the end

turn the pages in reverse,

some are brilliantly illuminated

others dull, of darker hue,

remove them cast them aside

to burn at leisure.

When it is done,

with an oiled cloth

cleanse and invigorate

the cracked and tortured binding

replace this slimmer volume

to its place

look to the floor

strike a match

walk away smiling

you have done fine work.

Published by grahamrsherwood