It comes oozing br out of flowers at night, br it comes out of the rain br if a snake looks skyward, br it comes out of chairs and tables br if you don't point at them and say their names. br It comes into your mouth while you sleep, br pressing in like a washcloth. br Beware. Beware. br br If you meet a cross-eyed person br you must plunge into the grass, br alongside the chilly ants, br fish through the green fingernails br and come up with the four-leaf clover br or your blood with congeal br like cold gravy. br br If you run across a horseshoe, br passerby, br stop, take your hands out of your pockets br and count the nails br as you count your children br or your money. br Otherwise a sand flea will crawl in your ear br and fly into your brain br and the only way you'll keep from going mad br is to be hit with a hammer every hour. br br If a hunchback is in the elevator with you br don't turn away, br immediately touch his hump br for his child will be born from his back tomorrow br and if he promptly bites the baby's nails off br (so it won't become a thief) br that child will be holy br and you, simple bird that you are, br may go on flying. br br When you knock on wood, br and you do, br you knock on the Cross br and Jesus gives you a fragment of His body br and breaks an egg in your toilet, br giving up one life br for one life.