You never go anywhere these days
without your Bible in your hand;
you read yourself to sleep with it,
pray with it,
gesture with it,
stroke it like a pet,
hold it to your heart
like a sacrament.
The pages bristle with bookmarks ’
purple for the Old Testament,
blue for the New,
red for the words of Christ.
When the churchmen try you for your offence
This book will be your sole defence.