A letter found on the aged librarian’s desk after he
disappeared into the deeper levels of the library
Dear young visitor
whoever you will be, bright-eyed, blue or not
when you read this
I will be gone to search
for the sources resting in the vaults,
the letters, manuscripts and books
in verses and prose
written in latin or not
digging through the dust
for where we went wrong
for that inflexion point
in history, that first crossroad,
when another road taken
would have lead us into
a world not governed by hatred,
a world not built from lies and false heroes
a world where we all belong
I do not know if
it will be when a battle was lost (or won)
or in the hunt for witches
in inventions misused or never used
or the rape of a peasant girl
during a religious wars of the 17th century
What I have learned
by reading
is that hatred can by fueled1
mostly by our own fear of dying.
Maybe I will never find the roots
but you,
my young reader: look towards the sky
to find trees
that will bear leaves again
and maybe you will find a way to rule
without engaging with death.
If we’ll meet let’s share some tea
and listen to the birds
or else…
- The basis for this come from Terror Management Theory describing how humans have developed different mechanisms to cope with mortality ↩︎
Today I host dVerse Open Link Night, and you are welcome to link up any one poem of your liking when I open the bar at 3 PM New York time. Join the fun with me and others from the dVerse community.
November 6, 2025
Björn Rudbergs writings 
I wonder where he has gone…
He went deep….
I would love to know what’s in the deeper levels, Björn, and I’m glad you’re still writing about the aged librarian. I love that his letter was to a young visitor, and that he went ‘digging through the dust for where we went wrong’. I hope he finds the answer.
I hope he will come up with a solution to disentagle what have set ourselves in.
This is beautifully written, Björn.
Thank you Ken
A very thoughtful piece. Tea and birds…yes.
Best way to find a resolution.
I felt a warning to whoever might read the poem. In the sense that the other person never repeats the same mistakes as the first person that did so. At least that’s how I understood your work. I really love this one a lot. 🙂
Alas humans are bound to repeat mistakes… unless we take care
So true.
Oh inspiring and beautifully written I love the hope it contains like “look towards the sky to find trees
that will bear leaves again” I have met quite a few young people and they were wonderful. They do have a big load to bear.
I know… and maybe the letter is the right way to steer them to nudge them a bit in the right direction
Love this piece from a retired librarian!
I think he will be back, as he sometimes do on my feed.
Oh, if every younger could hear this wisevoice…
Brilliant work, B, and THANKS for hosting the Thursday!
I think many younger people have had enough of older people telling them what to do… but given some time it may sink in.
Absolutely lovely, this letter and all it says. A wise fellow, your aged librarian.
Funnily enough, this piece reminds me of the library at Sunnydale High School, where librarian Rupert Giles could always retrieve from the stacks incredibly ancient and specialised encyclopedias of magic, to aid Buffy the Vampire Slayer and her friends in coping with the various kinds of demons they frequently encountered.
I love that thought… I had not even thought about Rupert being an inspiration despite all my watching of Buffy…. I have more drawn inspiration from Umberto Eco and Jorge Luis Borges…. but maybe the screenwriters of Buffy also had inspiration from those writers.
Great use of a poetic letter from your aged librarian. It is full of wisdom and warnings about what may or may not be. Yet, you layered some hope in the space of in between. Have you ever seen the TV Series “The Librarian”? They time travel. I think you might like it.
No I have not seen that series… but I did read the first book in the foundation series, and I could see some similarities when I read about the series.
So nice to hear from the wise librarian. I like that he gave the youth the charge to find a way to make the world better.
Maybe they are doing that… we have just been in the discussion yet.
Hatred is so often fueled by fear, ’tis true. Your poem is a chilling warning–it strikes the heart.
Always, I would say.
I think we live in a society driven by fear…. and maybe the root to it all is thoughts about our own mortality… if we don’t leave enough imprint on the world we live our life means less-
Passing on wisdom to the next generation is so very important. Well done, Bjorn
We just have to find ways to do it.
That is why we continue to write!
That librarian sure is keeping busy!
He is busy elsewhere, and that is why he shows up less frequently.
“Maybe I will never find the rootsbut you,my young reader: look towards the skyto find trees”
Always, there will be answers, outside the box, from which huminity grows
Nice one
much♡love
I sincerely hope so…. but some of us still need to study the roots.
maybe the librarian gave up the quest and found a book of hope instead- I can picture the librarian now!
I think he still searches for the roots
I sure hope the young hands which will hold this letter will be able to read it and be able to comprehend what cathedrals the word …
I hope and wonder…. and maybe there is hope around the corner
That line about “trees that will bear leaves again” really got to me, Björn — it feels like a quiet kind of hope after so much heaviness. Beautiful piece.
~David
Yes… maybe with some care for the roots it will work out well
🤗
Ah, the timeless wisdom of the Librarian … how I would love to witness an exchange between young reader and him.
I wonder if they ever get to meet.
I should like to happen upon such a wise letter! And I’ve never heard of the Terror Management Theory but it makes perfect sense that someone created one 🙂 Enjoyed this, Björn.
It was fascinating to listen to… and somehow it also make sense when you read it.
Bjorn, may this young person keep the trees leafing out in Spring and the hearthfire burning while you seek that moment. What will you do when you find it?
I hope so too… we need more fresh leaves.
Wow. An amazing poem Björn. Unfortunately,so heartbreakingly true, I fear, at every stage of the world’s development.
But our fear also makes it even worse.
A beautifully crafted Epistolary poem from the old librarian Björn and so apposite to the times we live in.
Even the library itself seems opposite to our present time.
As always a perfect submission in a week when the US’ hate filled, insecure president is denying food to the ‘widow and orphans’.
When the main philosophy is that compassion is weakness it is not strange. I would not be surprised if it will be permanantely removed.
Likewise. An abomination to this earth is this administration.
A poem for the times Bjorn, and for all times. !
JIM
we need more wisdom