the marriage of sticks

The Marriage of Sticks

Jonathan Carroll

It's been ages since I finished a book in under two days, so finis hing Jonathan Carroll's The Marriage of Sticks was a treat.  And as usual, after finishing a good book, I gave myself an extended stretch, like I would do in the mornings when I wake up from a good night's sleep.

I don't even know how to describe the story, other than it starts out like there's nothing extraordinary going on, and somewhere in the middle things start going weird until you get to the end where everything's totally bizarre.  That's what I love about Jonathan Carroll, you never really know where you're going to end up, and you always end up somewhere fantastic but oddly familiar.  (Props to my friend Ces who initiated me into the cult, and huge apologies for my having lost her copy of Sleeping in Flame during the move.)

Finding this poem in the book was sweet, too.

If I get to love you, please leave without knocking,
but think it over well:
my straw mattress will be yours, the dusty straw,
the rustling sighs.

Into the pitcher fresh water I'll pour,
your shoes, before you leave, I'll wipe clean,
no one will disturb us here,
hunched over, you could mend our clothes in peace.

If the silence is great, I will talk to you,
If you are tired, take my only chair,
If it's warm here, loosen your collar, take off your tie,
if you are hungry, there's a clean sheet of paper
as your plate if there's food,
but leave some for me—I, too, am forever hungry.

If I get to love you, enter without knocking,
but think it over well:
it would hurt if you stayed away for too long.

All in all, a very satisfying read and totally recommended.