Without a map or moonlit pebbles
leading home again
the aged librarian
follows poetry and songs
scribbled
in the margin of a first-edition copy
of a book not read,
remembering that,
— once —
a late October-night,
the book had been returned (too late)
by a dark-cloaked sage.
It had been raining for a week,
and the librarian (who still was young)
kept a pair of old galoshes
by his cluttered desk;
he was about to close and leave
when the sage approached,
apologizing for him being late.
The librarian, who was running late,
(he had a date)
and left the grease-stained book
in a drawer of his desk,
where it lay hidden
until many years had passed,
until the day he
looked into the bathroom mirror,
realizing that the dark-robed sage
was he;
he remembered,
rushed to his cluttered desk
where deep within a drawer still
the filthy book remained;
he opened up the hardbound cover
and saw the margin-scribbled words,
written by his shaking hand —
but while the pen was his,
the iambs he never knew.
The poetry was better than a map
and lead him through
forgotten corridors,
through the labyrinth and caves
to the deepest heart within his library
to a lonely shelf
he’s never seen before,
where another copy
of the first-edition book is left,
this one crisp, as new, and lacking
scribbled words,
but on the inside cover
he finds his own ex libris
and a scribbled note telling it’s a gift
from the lady-author
who’s date he missed
that late October night.
Relativity lattice by M.C. Escher
Today I thought a little mystery story would be fitting to write for OLN at dVerse where Lillian hosts.
—
October 17, 2019
Ah…unrequited love here. I love the tales of the Aged Librarian! 🙂
unrequited or just a missed opportunity.
Wow, you took us on a mystery rollercoaster ride with this one; loved it. How many poems are in the Old Librarian lexicon now?
Quite a few… but less than the Blackthorn
That was fun.
Enjoyed reading this
Ooooh,these Tales of the Ageing Librarian…..
Nice twist to the events: “looked into the bathroom mirror,
realizing that the dark-robed sage
was he”
Reminds me of a Haruki Murakami story. Your story is circular, but so is time. If it’s meant to be another opportunity will present itself to the librarian.
Wow, this is amazing, I feel like I crossed time and space and entered a parallel world. This is mysterious and wondrous. I absolutely, love your librarian series, Bjorn.
Many things unexplained and mysterious in this, Bjorn. Almost like time was somehow twisted and bent back upon itself. 🙂
Do you have these compiled into a book? They would make great reading as a collection!
looked into the bathroom mirror,
realizing that the dark-robed sage
was he;
Love these librarian poems, Bjorn….this one turns on itself beautifully! JIM
Love the twist! Like a Möbius strip…
Such intrigue. I like the idea of finding our way with poems.
divine denouement! love the labyrinthine tales of the librarian
“Without a map or moonlit pebbles
leading home again
the aged librarian
follows poetry and songs”
those opening lines sing out
Björn, I am totally taken by your poem / tale.
Beautifully written.
Miriam
I like this labyrinth (K)
very cool
Now we know why his only companions are books.
Absolutely love this!
“Poetry was better than a map” resonates 🙂
What a brilliant story and verse. I enjoyed this a lot.
Fun romp through the gothic. Very fitting for the season
This is a surreal, mysterious poem. It made me wonder if everything was the happenings of the aged librarian’s mind, or if reality itself is slightly askew jere.
Spiral and convoluted life, all coming home to roost, I really enjoyed reading this, it has such layers, worth many readings.