This morning I remembered the young man
with his book, reading at a table
by the window last night. Reading
amidst the coming and going of dishes
and voices. Now and then he looked
up and passed his finger across
his lips, as if pondering something
or quieting the thoughts inside
his mind, the going
and coming inside his mind. Then
he lowered his head and went back
to reading.
Excerpt from Raymond Carver’s “Reading Something in the Restaurant.”
Thanks to Patricia I discovered the delightful book, Where Books Fall Open. It’s a book about books, the pleasures of reading and praise for the written word. For all bookworms out there, this is a must have to add to your library.
I chose to read that poem tonight because I often go to the cafeteria in my building armed with a book and can easily drown out the noises around me. There are people who talk about deadlines or projects, but I’ll sit in my little corner and enjoy whatever book I may be reading at the time. If you don’t already do this, try it. I promise you’ll like it.
