I was in the Tarrant Co. jail in or around 1981-83, doing three months on some driving bullshit. One day they bring in this dude and plop him on the bunk in my cell. For 3 days he barely moved. He got up like 4 times to shit. Anywho, long nasty story short, he had downers up his ass, in the immortal form of Rorer 714 Quaaludes. Once he came out of the original righteously induced fog, we began seemingly deep, philosophically coherent conversations. After about a week he told me about this poem he had written and brought from his stay in a Philly jail. He wrote it about his brother who supposedly OD'd on heroine the night my new friend got busted. It was written on what I knew to be "jail" paper. It was all folded up and worn completely through in some of the creases. Over the next few days, this dude who's name I'll never remember and I, rewrote the poem's faded or missing parts. When we were finished, it was so etched into my brain that I remember every word as we wrote and rewrote it over and over. I haven't really told it to a lot of people over the years, but I can never forget it. I have recently seen similar "versions" of this poem online, but haven't seen it credited to anyone. I think I know who wrote it, but I have no way of knowing unless that prisoner sees this and contacts me. We will be able to verify each other's accounts. Without further adue: The Marriage Creed, by unknown author
So now little man you've grown tired of grass,
LSD, goofballs, cocaine and hash.
When someone pretending to be a true friend said,
I'll introduce you to miss heroine.
Well honey before you start fooling with me,
just let me inform you of how it will be.
For I will seduce you and make you my slave.
I've sent men much stronger than you to the grave.
You think you could never become a disgrace,
yet end up addited to poppy seed waste.
when you start snorting me one afternoon,
I know I'll be deep in your arm very soon.
You'll need lot's of money, you've likely been told,
for darling I'm much more expensive than gold.
You swindle your mother just for a buck.
You'll turn into something vile and corrupt.
You'll mug and you'll steal for my narcotic charm,
and feel the contentment when I'm in your arm.
The day that you realize the monster you've grown,
you'll solenmly promise to leave me alone.
If you think that you've got the mystical knack,
then sweetie just try to get me off your back.
The vomit, the cramps, you're tied in a knot,
your tangled nerves screaming for just one more shot.
The hot chills, the cold sweats, the withdrawal pains,
can only be tamed by my little white grains.
There's no other way. There's no need to look.
Deep down inside, you know that you're hooked.
You'll desperately run to your pusher, and then,
you'll welcome me back to your arms once again.
And when you return, just as I foretold,
I know that you'll give me you're body and soul.
You'll give up your morals, your conscience, your heart.
And you will be mine til death do us part.