Punish Your Book! Poem by Susan Glickman

Because it is sullen and slope-shouldered and mumbles
because it hoards secrets
because it is more stylish than you
because such eagerness is offensive
because it flirts with every passing stranger
because it is sleepless desperate incontinent drunk
on language
because it makes scenes in public places; why does it make scenes
in public places?
because it is addicted to semi-colons
because the word "small" recurs with maternal tenderness
because the word "blue" is an invisible motif
because the word, the word, the words
are not transparent
because you are sleepless desperate incontinent drunk
on language
because the boy on the bus
because beautiful illustrations limit one's imagination
because typography is an enigma
because it hurts
because every book is a failure to be
every book