Aphelion Issue 301, Volume 28
December 2024 / January 2025
 
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The Second Book Of Wisdom According To Autumn-Red, Apostle Of The Woods

by Juan Manuel Perez


Chapter One

1. destroy the man-beast
or he will surely destroy
end our way of life

2. sasquatch commit sin
when thoughts are with the man-beast
consumes his true self

3. beware the man-beast
he will consume all of you
place you in cages

4. suppress your query
avoid the man-beast always
his heart is evil

5. to love the sasquatch
is to simply let him be
peace from a distance

6. remain pure, brother
avoid that beyond the woods
where the man-beast dwells

7. man-beast is fragile
not fit to live among us
leave him to himself

Chapter Two

1. those long, tall cedars
memories of your childhood
cut down without cause

2. the mighty sasquatch
long generations of life
until the man-beast

3. beware the man-beast
imitation not allowed
do not shave your hair

4. a man-beast sighting
not as rare as they once were
man-beast does exist

5. inter-species love
not allowed among sasquatch
deny this fever

6. a home in plain sight
an instinctive idea
like skinless teepee

7. abomination
true origin of genesis
resist the man-beast

Chapter Three

1. seek thine true nature
for the outside world misleads
sasquatch must survive

2. grunted tradition
sasquatch stories are passed down
man-beast scribbles books

3. flower canopy
hides the nutrients of life
sasquatch forages

4. to crave the man-beast
is to invite destruction
avoid him always

5. pretty, she-man-beast
like siren by the water
drowns reality

6. simple is pleasure
do not distort it with sin
condemn the man-beast

7. don't cage the man-beast
for it will cage you one day
given a short chance

Chapter Four

1. smell of the man-beast
their perfume, their food, their things
will not be allowed

2. forever forget
he who stands with the man-beast
for he is tainted

3. the long distant grunt
invitation song to mate
build generations

4. whether clear or not
the venom of the man-beast
will poison your brain

5. what you have not now
is all that you need to have
perish man-beast thoughts

6. once you have settled
travel not far from your home
there is no need to

7. this place in these woods
belongs to those who live here
the man-beast intrudes

Chapter Five

1. live among your kind
it would be foolish not to
don't trust the man-beast

2. beware scarlet-red
she is not from this planet
man-beast fears her too

3. do not take their things
do not pick up their habits
withstand the man-beast

4. female companion
everything on earth needs one
sasquatch or man-beast

5. do not seek him out
nor their homes, nor their offspring's
refuse the man-beast

6. do not crave their food
coverings or their women
fight back the man-beast

7. sasquatch don't do school
or other odd, man-beast like things
it's just not normal

Chapter Six

1. the broken branches
a place that once was a home
until the man-beast

2. refuse the man-beast
do not wish for grotesque things
be not fond of him

3. a small pond ripples
at what it believes it sees
sasquatch smiling back

4. as the man-beast walks
you must walk the other way
his dreams are not yours

5. broken stick treasure
music to the woods-men soul
appreciation

6. not a believer
it's okay they don't either
man-beast like a ghost

7. believe the sasquatch
they mean you no harm at all
unless you have food

Chapter Seven

1. proverbial warning
the man-beast is not your friend
do not be foolish

2. to dwell among trees
depends upon decision
to be sought or not

3. hidden, you will live
in the open, you will die
it's not a hard choice

4. cute, little faces
the off-spring of the man-beast
death still breathes within

5. honor your mother
honor your ancient father
you will become one

6. time over long time
the man-beast remains the same
desire to kill

7. for only the wise
can complete a long, full life
where man-beast shortens


© 2022 Juan Manuel Perez

Juan Manuel Perez is a Mexican-American of Indigenous descent and the author of multiple books of poetry. Juan currently resides in Corpus Christi, Texas. To learn more about him, visit his offical website at https://www.juanmperez.com/

Find more by Juan Manuel Perez in the Author Index.