put not thy trust in the common place of this world

lovers have betrayed    
me      
     
friends have abandoned      
me      
     
and don't get me started      
on that dirty cheating    
bastard,      
life      
     
but there were the books      
     
always books      
     
silent stalwarts of sanity      
and salvation      
     
Hemingway      
     
Fante      
     
Rand      
     
Salinger      
     
and so many, oh  
so many      
more      
     
the words washing      
away the dirt of      
dissatisfaction with    
the ignorance of  
what is common  
in this world  
    
creating moments      
between  the      
pain      
     
and allowing the      
flowers of imagination      
to breathe and
thrive     
     
adorning the silence of      
my thoughts with the      
royal gems of      
creation      
     
the word born of  
ink and script  
     
the only true gift of      
hope God has      
ever given      
man