In honor of National Poetry Month I thought I’d share a poem I’ve recently read which I think is one all of us bookworms can really enjoy.
The Bookstall, from Carnival Evening by Linda Pastan
Just looking at them
I grow greedy, as if they were
freshly baked loaves
waiting on their shelves
to be broken open – that one
and that –and I make my choice
in a mood of exalted luck,
browsing among them
like a cow in sweetest pasture.
For life is continuous
as long as they wait
to be read — these inked paths
opening into the future, page
after page, every book
its own receding horizon.
And I hold them, one in each hand,
a curious ballast weighting me
here to the earth.
Bookstall at the Chicago Printers Row Book Fair, 2005
20 Comments
Love this! “Freshly baked loaves” indeed 🙂
‘For life is continuous / as long as they wait / to be read’ Oh yes! Thank you for this.
Continuous and simultaneous!
Thank you for sharing this with us, Iliana.
Gorgeous!!! I never get tired of poems about books. I especially love this one for the comparison to loaves of bread waiting to be broken open. So true.
I love this one! Thanks, Iliana.
That’s definitely a poem I can appreciate! I am going to try and read some poetry this month, too.
Cool to see the picture.
Here are more poems!http://www.spl.org.uk/e-card/index.html
Happy Month!
That’s just perfect!
Oops, I keep forgeting to change my e-mail address. Hope this time it sticks!
ravenous reader – books make us hungry too right? 🙂
Ann Darnton – The whole poem is lovely but that line really moved me too.
jenclair – Isn’t it great!
Gavin – It’s poetry month so I’ll have to dig up some more favorites 🙂
Andi – Isn’t that the truth! Have you checked out Where Books Fall Open? It’s not all poetry but it’s a wonderful collection about books and writing and the readers.
Lisa – So glad you liked it!
Danielle – Isn’t it? When I read that I was just nodding my head and had a big smile on my face.
Isabel – Happy Poetry Month to you too girl. Thanks for the link. I’ll check it out.
Stephanie – I think it’s fixed 🙂 Glad you liked the poem!
Love it!! Absolutely perfect!
“Just looking at them
I grow greedy, as if they were
freshly baked loaves
waiting on their shelves
to be broken open – that one
and that”
Awesome poem!! I love every line! Thank you for sharing it with us.
stephanie – I agree 🙂
Les in NE – and, that one and that one… it could just go on right? I am so glad I found this poem recently. It’s made me smile.
That’s a great poem! I love Linda Pastan.
I absolutely loved it! Thanks for sharing!
Lovely poem 😀 Thanks so much for sharing!
That is beautiful – and it describes exactly the kind of hunger I feel when I go into a bookstore! I’m ravenous 🙂
Dorothy W. – When I found that poem I was checking out more from her book Carnival and there are so many that really caught my attention. I
Jenna – Glad you liked it!
Nymeth – You betcha – I figured all of us bookworms would enjoy it 🙂
oakling – Exactly! Like a kid in a candy story right 🙂
What a great poem, Iliana. I am going to print a copy and put it up at my desk at the office.