There’s a cunning to books I don’t own.
Tricks the eye into slipping
from shelves stacked ‘soon’
where old resolutions stagger
parchment pale and haggard
around uncracked spines.
I play a teasing game,
ply their pages with well-meaning,
find an aged acquaintance,
face new with forgetting.
Thumb their successors guiltily
like a child caught, ear at the door,
and smuggle home each new treasure,
slip it into the seams unseen
and whisper ‘no more, no more’
with every book I’ve ever bought.
Myth of Mirrors would like us to look at our ‘To-Be-Read’ piles and turn them into a short story or poem. There is perhaps a little irony in the mix there as my current ‘To-Be-Read’ pile includes one of D. Wallace Peach’s books. I promised myself I wouldn’t buy any more books until I’ve read all the fiction already crowding my little library, but I just pre-ordered another Sarah J Mass book so I’m not to be trusted. My reading pile is always ridiculously endless, and quite frankly I would not have it any other way. What is better than a house full of book? And different books suit different times of the day/week/year. I will continue cramming as many poetry collections, novels, histories, and mythologies into my possession as possible.
For those of you perhaps looking for a new book to add to your reading lists, ‘It’s All In The Blood’ is available to purchase on kindle, and in paperback. With Covid restrictions beginning to ease in the UK, I might even get chance to read some of the poems at in-person events this year!
A bold, brutally honest and dazzling debut collection that insists on being read.
Deborah Edgeley author of ‘Super 8 Magicscape’, ‘Solitary Child, Friend of Immortals’, ‘ Testing The Delicates’ and ‘Wilkommen Zum Rattenfanger Theater’
Carol J Forrester 
This is wonderful, Carol. Aren’t those books sneaky! And so glad that one of my books is in your pile. I’ll reblog on Saturday morning. 🙂 Thanks for playing and Happy Reading!
Thank you, and happy reading to you also! I hope you don’t mind the sneaky bit of self-promo at the end. One of my 2022 goals is to improve on my marketing skills, and hopefully getting to a point where the possibility of someone paying me for my words doesn’t make me break out in hives.
Ha ha ha. It’f fine. Have an awesome day, my friend. 🙂
Those wily books. Love it.
Reblogged this on Myths of the Mirror and commented:
The poets are turning out for this challenge! A lovely poem from Carol Forrester. Enjoy.
Excellent poem! I agree, big TBR piles are nice, and I wouldn’t have it any other way, either.
So glad you agree. A healthy sized tbr pile just goes to show how many fantastic books are still out there. Imagine if there was nothing to be read?
This is great, Carol! Way to meet the challenge!
Thank you very much. It seems like such luck that the week I start getting back to writing poetry for my blog, Diana is running a new writing challenge.
A witty poem, Carol. Great response to the challenge!
Thank you very much Jan, and thank you for the share on twitter.
I don’t even bother saying “no more” anymore. I just succumb.
I think my biggest weaknesses are beautifully bound copies and books on history because I can tell myself that they have an educational purpose and if I only read the piecemeal, that’s completely acceptable for the genre.
That sounds like a good rationalization!
I’m just like Liz!
A terrific poem. Diana sent me and I’m glad she did.
I’m very happy to have you pop in for a visit John, welcome.
😊
Yes, I too am guilty of reading other book behind the spines of the ones in my TBR pile.
Haha, ‘behind the spines’ is a fantastic turn of phrase.
HI Carol, this is a fabulous poem. I am loving this challenge.
Thank you. The responses to the challenge have been fab, haven’t they?
Oh, they have. I’m really enjoying the responses.
I know the feeling of “not to be trusted,” Carol! There’s no resistance when it comes to books. I loved your poem.
Thank you Miriam. It was a fun little poem to write.
It was fun to read, Carol!
Ah, the “guilty” pleasure of reading too many books. Well done, Carol! 🙂
Thank you.
[…] To Be, Or Not To Be, Either Way That’s A Lot Of Books – A Poem By Carol J Forrester […]
Oh, how we’d hate it if we DIDN’T have a TBR pile. In fact, when I’m reading a book I make sure I have the next one lined up and waiting. Good promo at the end. We gotta do it. 🙂
I always find promo really tricky, but you’re right, we do have to do it. Thanks for dropping by and reading.
[…] To Be, Or Not To Be, Either Way That’s A Lot Of Books by Carol J Forrester […]