An Innocent Little Book
By John Herlihy

Once upon a time on a table lay an innocent little book;
Do not open it, a label warned, not even to take a look.
You want to know, don’t you, why so many have come back,
To look within the unassuming book, without looking back.
Beware the warning label lest an event unfolds unexpected;
You may disappear forever when you saw yourself injected.
Who would expect a book to be the last thing you ever saw,
A book that could easily be hidden away in a desk drawer.

I have witnessed others take the plunge down thru history,
Daring souls who opened the book to disclose its mystery.
Foregoing any warning labels that evil forces may brew,
In pursuit of their stated purpose human virtue to subdue.
The mystery remains sealed but unleashes feelings of wonder,
To pursue all the avenues of the world its secrets to plunder.
Simply a touch of the hand will reveal beauties to behold;
Simply open the magical book and endless stories will unfold.

I look down upon the little innocent book sitting on the table.
If I forgo the warning and open myself up, I can certainly enable,
A wide range of desires and emotions in my heart to finally surge,
For everything the world has to offer, I can offer a sincere urge.
To make things better, to become whole, to seek only perfection;
To erase any weakness and fear no longer subject to detection.
Behold, all I have to do it pick up the book and break the seal,
To fulfill the demands of destiny in my life and become real.

The warning label lies there for those with insufficient courage,
Though the wax seal lies ready to break open as a way to encourage
Brave hearts with an inclination to open themselves up to discover,
What it means to live on earth, intricacies of the heart to uncover.
The unpretentious soul picks up the book with its invisible hand,
It has not yet awakened as form the rigors of the earth to withstand.
The soul now reaches down, hesitant, wondering, wishing to escape,
Instead, the soul opens the book of life and into the world awakes.