Spring poem

I read an Erle Stanley Gardner/Perry Mason novelette last month. It was not exactly literary, but it was exciting and fun in places. The novelette came in a hardcover book with two other novelettes, which I decided I didn’t need to read. (Did I mention these popular lawyer-detective books were not exactly literary?) What was most impressive to me, however, was the excellent shape the book was in – despite dating from 1949. I picked it up second hand – likely at a flea market, local thrift shop, maybe even from a free book bin – I don’t remember – the dust cover I presume it had once upon a time is long gone, and the spine is starting to develop a slight lean, someone else had signed there name of the front page, but other than that, it looked really good. And the thickness of the paper was noticeable as well – I grabbed a recent hardcover from my pile o’ books and fingered both at the same time, and there is no question at all that the older book has thicker paper.

If the story had more literary merit, I would have been quite happy to place it on my bookshelf, but my bookshelf space is quite restricted, and I have now put the book back out into the world, so that it can hopefully enjoy many more years of adventure.

If you’re ever in Penticton, British Columbia, you should visit The Book Shop .

Here is an untitled spring poem, from my 39th year poetry project:

Defeated by one technology

I ponder return to another

with greater history of success

resistance, restoration

look through blinds to see

soft late snow falling

robin chattering morning

hello