Unwashed jokes

Some nights the aged librarian
will leave his library alone
to meet his mistress in
the cheap motel across the road,
those nights he lets
the moon sojourn
alone and by herself

; and as she waddle
through the halls
dressed in lace and leather
she will chuckle,
to coax the high-strung literary voices
from the shelves
to share stories from the
deep recess of entrails:
at such nights the books forget
the thrill of romance,
crimes and wars and drama of deceit,
and like toddlers giggle
at the heroes’ minuscule “details”
faeces and salacious poetry
spilled on filthy toilet doors.

Later when the dawn arrives,
on slippers
the moon has left without a trace —
and returning, the aged librarian
finds his books
sluggish,
silent,
soft,
subdued, but
in the halls the moon has left
her size fourteen stiletto footprints
and the muffled reek of unwashed jokes.

For Open Link at dVerse where Lisa hosts. I don’t know how the idea came into my head, but I thought it would be fun to be a little absurd and let the books let loose and be a little bit more relaxed.

May 27, 2021

28 responses to “Unwashed jokes”

Very interesting twist for the aged librarian saga. I had a little confusion discerning the mistress from the moon, but loved the notion that books could let their spines down, and get silly.

Oh, what a scene. It’s like a mini movie. I love the idea of the moon’s slippers and those stilettos!

Tawdriffic, Bjorn. Love those giant stiletto footprints.

I love that phrase ‘unwashed jokes’ instead of ‘dirty jokes’, Björn, and I’m delighted to see the return of the aged librarian, and to learn that he has a mistress! What an image of the moon let loose in the library, ‘dressed in lace and leather’, and the books giggling like toddlers at the ‘heroes’ minuscule “details” faeces and salacious poetry spilled on filthy toilet doors’! The closing lines made me chuckle.

Oh yes, the aged librarian returns. I enjoy this series Bjorn!

I like your personification of the moon and books. I’m not sure if it was intentional or not, but you almost form a crescent moon shape with your words towards the end.

You have to keep your eye on that moon!

I like this so much. How the librarian leaves the sanctity and sanctuary of his domain to one mistress as another invades said sanctuary. It feels almost like a dream world he’s struggling with inside his head. I’ve got the PERFECT song to go with this.

Oh, those gut-wrenching stories from our entrails, spilt out here in a provocative, and licentious manner. The librarian’s secret rendevous is most entertaining. Loved to see what was scrawled freshly from this jaunt. Filthy and fun! Rarely get to say that, so I had to seize the moment.

The librarian age theme is so interesting and incredible. The imagery stayed in my head the whole time. I love it. 🙂

This is so much fun Björn! I didn’t imagine the Aged Librarian having a mistress, but she doesn’t sound half as mischeivious as the moon…

Well, I now have a completely different image of the aged librarian!! This was quite a tawdry tale, Bjorn! I could fairly see you smiling as you wrote!

Like my kids ask me, “Why are you so weird?!”

But I love it. This is funny and odd and uniquely absurd storytelling, which I find interesting and engaging. Kudos.

Like the books I giggled, chuckled and at the end 🤣. Wonderful “turn on” the old librarian series.

Fantastical and superbly writ, the imagery seemingly slipped into the mind as stealthily as the moon slipped out at dawn. Really fun. ~peace, Jason

I like how you personified the moon with her be feet and the books seething with their vulgar hidden secrets. A really interesting take on the Old Librarian!

and like toddlers giggle
at the heroes’ minuscule “details”
faeces and salacious poetry

Given half a chance the books finally have had their day. Unusual but great thinking Bjorn!

Hank

You had me at her size 14 stilettos ! 😳 Loved the poem, especially the unwashed jokes. Very clever Bjorn 👍

Brilliant composition!

Reblogged this on Reena Saxena.

oh wow!!! this felt like a novel opening, Bjorn! you ended it with brilliant and cheeky image – in the halls the moon has left
her size fourteen stiletto footprints
and the muffled reek of unwashed jokes.

Really enjoyed this – what great imagination. There are some wonderful lines in here – ‘the muffled reek of unwashed jokes’.

A whole new side to the Librarian. For some reason, I imagined he couldn’t leave the library. And that Moon with her size 14 stilettos–quite an image! 😀