THE WARNING

Before I opened the book, I guessed
The warning on the cover said it all
Beware all you who read these pages
A black arts tome across all the ages
Just listen, and one can hear the call
One should prepare for a magic fest

The first page showed a hieroglyph
And I traced it slowly with my finger
I felt a strange tingling in my hand
A meaning I would not understand
I paused and let that feeling linger
But then my whole fist went all stiff

I saw pages turning all by themselves
Each revealing another curious text
Then I heard some heavy breathing
Now scared of what I was believing
But I couldn’t accept what came next
Things started moving on the shelves

I’m now vapour, no earthly presence
Look to the stars, to see a supernova
All such warnings one should heed
Too late, once I had started to read
The magical runes have taken over
As I’m trapped in an ethereal state
All that’s left of me is mere essence