learning to unread

learning to unread books

page by page, we unread books

not backward, per se, that'd be satanic

but page by page, peel off the words

and unlearn the plot

roll up the plot

and put the characters back in their holes

what happens to characters when their readers traverse the veil?

when they leave their flesh behind to rot, or nourish the newborn leaves?

some say all earthly things, books, music, etc., these memories reside in flesh

in the bones, in the muscles, in the blood maybe

and they seep back into the earth which wifed them

to which they, arguably, belong

 

so now they belong to the trees

and every tree over every graveyard is packed with memories

the fruit of every tree, apple, pear, quince

over every white picketed, overgrown graveyard in our fair country and overseas

these trees are bursting with memories, songs, books, characters, plot points, revelations, turns of phrase, marvelous ironies, second glances, evil twins, hidden enemies, dastardly deeds, and righteous justice