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| Book bench @ Square Gabriel Pierné @ Paris, photo by Guilhem Vellut |
After Long Absence
“A Book of Verses underneath the Bough,
A Jug of Wine, A Loaf of Bread—and Thou”
— Omar Khayyam
This week I read three books—
one in my hand, one on a computer
and one read to me from a disc—
the words from each spilled into
me
and I guzzled, I admit,
dousing in what is not mine
dousing for the divine
meeting among us
the authors and me
in place and time.
I forget books
in busy days and media frenzy
in exercise and step counting
in friends' visits and phone calls, but
they wait—secular grails
on old shelves and in new machines,
everywhere fingers and eyes pause—wait
to enliven souls with
formulae that come alive when
books open and spill.
For Sumana's prompt
Poets United Midweek Motif ~ Books
“A Book of Verses underneath the Bough,
A Jug of Wine, A Loaf of Bread—and Thou”
— Omar Khayyam
My blog poems are rough drafts.
Please respect my copyright.
© 2017 Susan L. Chast
interesting contrasts
ReplyDelete'I forget books' this happens to me these days too...'media frenzy' is one of the culprits for me too...
ReplyDeleteI love that they wait for us to pick them up. I dont know what I would do if I could not read every day. It is how I fall asleep at night, book falling onto my face, LOL.
ReplyDeleteNice. I have a different book in different parts of the house - a family room book, a bedroom book, a kitchen book. I don't read them as much as I'd like. Am glad I read your poem, which I like so much.
ReplyDeleteWow, you read three books in a week, Susan. I am impressed. I must confess that oftentimes lately I am reading YA fiction...truly some good stuff out there. Most recent one was The Witness which was about the Ku Klux Klan's arrival in Vermont in the 1920's. I am now, however, reading Dark Money by Jane Mayer which is about the money behind so much in politics. Not a YA book at all. I too forget books on busy days until I am ready to sleep. I prefer to read then...rather than focus on other things.
ReplyDeleteIsn't ironic, an audio-book is me, a guarantee sleeping pill, after listening for 30 seconds. And yet, the same book, whether printed or electronic, doesn't affect me, the same way. Go figure.
ReplyDelete...and as the page is turning a new chapter begins. (remember there weren't always movies) Marvelous poem.
ReplyDeleteI've never tried an audio book, can't seem to enjoy ebooks, so it is still books in hand for me.... waiting to spill their stories.
ReplyDeleteI love the image of books opening and spilling. Lovely poem, Susan.
ReplyDeleteReading or listening it is much like education words sinking into your brain to impress and inspire to write yourself.
ReplyDeleteLoved this...especially when you write...they wait, secular grails...perfect!
ReplyDeleteI love that you 'guzzled'. They are such a feast!
ReplyDeleteYes, good friends they are!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful (and true) poem! Unfortuantely, television gulps large chunks of our time, for many of us anyway, time that used to be spent reading. Nevertheless, I always have a book beside me ... it's a necessity!
ReplyDeleteIf I cannot hug them and underline in pencil ,hide photos, and notes in them, dollar bills etc I'm not doing it:)Good poem. I like your mention of the search for the
ReplyDeleteDivine. That would be a good prompt.
To open a book is to partake of new life. To leave a book closed is to wither the soul.
ReplyDeletethey wait—secular grails
ReplyDeleteon old shelves and in new machines,
everywhere fingers and eyes pause—wait
Yes, there is that element of respite or pause to allow space for some other fishes to fry. Then continue the reading diligently. Great that you disciplined your reading habits.Susan!
Hank
Books always wait for us when they are needed.
ReplyDelete