The pages of a new book,
still unread, is like a river, tentative at first.
The aged librarian never reads the blurb
but lingers on the foreword
he’s basking with the springs and ponds
where water’s born, and starts his journey downstream.
He follows tributaries until they merge
with places, time and characters
until the river thicken into plots, through lakes
of dialogue and action waterfalls.
When he is reading —
riding river deep through light and darkness
the library is lost for just this book.
At last he reach end, the sea and sighs.
He’s lost, at loss like you might be be when all
you see is open vastness.
That’s when he finds his library again.
Finally our new anthology is ready. You can find it at Amazon in the US or in Europe. Join us at dVerse OLN to celebrate and share some poetry.
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November 14, 2017
Björn Rudbergs writings 
I like your comparison of a river to the beginning of reading a book. Your aged librarian is a master at reading and rivers.
Lovely. I like the way you described reading in terms of a flowing river.
This is a guide to writing a novel. This one is being bookmarked for sure!
What a wonderful treat Bjorn ~ I love how your character finds it a river of journey to be found, again and again ~ Thanks for all your hard work !
I look forward to do some reading during the break too.. 🙂
OK–it’s off to Amazon to get my copy of our new anthology–way cool–as is your latest episode of the aged librarian–put me in mind of a poem by Raymond Carver, WHERE WATER COMES TOGETHER WITH OTHER WATER; check it out.
Oh That sounds great …
I’m so pleased to see the aged librarian one more time before the break.I like the comparison of a new book with a river and the lines:
‘he’s basking with the springs and ponds
where water’s born, and starts his journey downstream’ – I’m trying to decide what kind of fish the librarian might be, Bjorn – a salmon or a trout?
I love to get lost in a book and forget reality for a bit. Congratulations on the publication!
Yes, a good book can do that for you. Some people never experience this.
There is something wrong with your link … which poem did you want to link up?
thanks, I’ll update. sorry
okay I think it works now – delete the first one – don’t think I can. sorry.
I like that he has a new book to read…I have ordered some copies, I am expecting them on Saturday- hopefully. XXXX
Excellent poem Bjorn, I like the journey aspect to it. Thanks also for including me in the anthology. I look forward to reading through it.
Sounds most captivating! The new anthology looks great!
Dwight
You have well earned your holiday break, Bjorn. Thank you for all your hard work on the Anthology … and how great it’s ready for Christmas! Amazing the Old Librarian still had time to pen another wonderful poem for us as well! Blessed holiday time for you and yours!
I haven’t had much time for reading blogs lately, as I’m trying to get myself to focus on editing, but I saw a glimpse of the poem with the librarian in it and had to stop in. Don’t tell anyone I’m procrastinating though. 😉 I’m glad I did too. The cover of the anthology looks great! So glad to see that it’s done and out. Great job!!
Cute analogy. Good job on the book
A beautiful write, I especially love how the librarian is ‘basking with the springs and ponds where water’s born, and starts his journey downstream’. Thank you for all your hard work Björn and Happy Holidays :o)
A very fine metaphor and beautifully sustained Bjorn – funnily enough, I used to be a librarian – back in the day when I had a real job! Have a great Christmas
The librarian is my persona to use for a series of poem… 🙂
I like your use of all the waterways to describe the adventure of reading. Good stuff. Coincidentally, I was just was just rereading “there is no frigate like a book” by Emily Dickinson earlier today! Merry Christmas to you and yours, Bjorn!
When you come up for air from a good book, it can be quite disorienting. Kinda like riding that river and finding your sea legs and then trying to walk on dry land again. I need to find me a good book. Its been a while since I really had one speak to me. Though I have really enjoyed Sherman Alexie’s short stories.
Thank you Bjorn for all of your hard work on this anthology–I hope you enjoy some time off–are you the reader or the librarian?
Books flow. Stories flow, like a river. Love the analogy.
What an eloquent tribute. My copies are on their way across the world.
One of my favorite devices in poetry is the extended metaphor. It works beautifully here, Bjorn. I know that wonderful lost feeling, forgetting where you are in the throes of the river of a book. Well done.
I recognise that feeling. You capture it so well, being engrossed, the world falling away, the empty vastness as it ends.
That’s a wonderful description of getting lost in a book. (K)
Love the portrayal of a river to that of a beginning of reading a book. Congratulations for the book, Bjorn 🙂
I love your words your journey – they resonate.
I love it when a good book pulls me in and under its spell and I have to keep reading and reading as I can’t bear to close it.
Merry Christmas Bjorn!
Anna :o]
That was the river, This is the Sea. Wonderful voyage. Congrats on the publishing. Woo Hoo.
YES! You capture this getting lost in the pages of a book
so beautifully . . .
“the library is lost for just this book”
And then —
“That’s when he finds his library again.”
I like this. A new book is paradise!
I like the idea of reading as going down a river.
Congrats on the new book!
kaykuala
when all you see is open vastness.
That’s when he finds his library again.
Patience pays off for such a quiet job
Hank
Enjoying your librarian motifs, Bjorn. Awaiting my copies of the anthology…I will miss being able to send one to my mother.
I love your library/librarian poems.
This is beautifully descriptive. Being lost in a book is a wonderful thing. I’m reading a book now–the kind that you want to keep on reading, but you also want to stop because you don’t want it to end.
Lovely, eloquent words that just carried me along.
I relate so much to the librarian feeling lost at the end of a book. Fortunately, the rest of the library awaits!
Your comparison of a book with a river is magnificent!
Oh, how I love this!