The Book Of Life Poem by Steven Federle

"Perhaps the book of life, in the end, is the book of what one has lived and if one has lived nothing, he is not in the book of life. " Merton, Thomas, When the Trees Say Nothing: Writings on Nature

Turn the pages
past the flashy cover
beyond sincere dedications;
what do you
read?

Are there tragedies
lurking in your leafy folds?
Do you struggle, oh Hero,
with sirens and one-
eyed peep-
ing Toms?

Are you triumphant?

In your brief tale,
do you satisfy
harried Plot's demands?

Are you happy
with your climax, your
denoue-
ment?

Or, with eyes moist and red,
at last do you drop
your ragged volume
to the musty cellar floor,
and wonder,

what happened?