They claimed that books were obsolete, a strain
to keep, a home for spiders, dust and mold
we trusted traces, texts in clouds, not drain
of ink on paper from the days of old,
we were modern, but we failed to see
how knowledge was transformed, and cold
unknowing we became, enslaved, not free
because what was on paper had been changed
to fit the tyrants lust to rule, to be
our core and being that we can’t exchange,
but somewhere hidden there were words
on paper left, that wasn’t burned, so strange
it was, that deep below in caves where lords
were absent and we taught the basic skills
from ancient texts and formed a brand new world.
We learned to listen and to read and still
it took us time to trust ourselves to gain
with care, to sleep and love not seeking thrills.
Today we have Open Link Night at dVerse hosted byGrace, I will be late to the show but will come by later. There is no librarian in this book, but I am sure he was the one who saived the world. Some of you might have read the foundation by Isaac Asimov, and know how the foundation was created to save important knowledge from an emprire that was falling apart. It can never stop the falling apart, but it is possible to recover quicker if knowledge is kept.
It was a while sinc I wrote terza rima, the ancient form of Dante, I decided to end it after just 6 stanzas, but I think it could have gone on once I had the meter and let it flow with the rhymes.
May 21, 2026
Björn Rudbergs writings 
Ahhh yes, books are great! But now I need my glasses to read 👌
I find the books being so much more… and fear the day we realize the digital world has slowly changed our litterature to something entirely different.
Gorgeous use of rhymes here, Bjorn! Especially love;
“so strange it was, that deep below in caves where lords were absent and we taught the basic skills from ancient texts and formed a brand new world.” ❤️❤️
I think Terza Rima is so fun to play with but realized I had not done it in a while
I’ve missed the librarian, Björn, and, on reading the title, I thought he would appear in your poem. I loved Asimov as a teenager, and I can see his influence here. I think you’re brave to go with a terza rima and love the thought that ‘somewhere hidden there were words on paper left, that wasn’t burned’ and that basic skills can still be taught from ancient texts to form a brand new world.
Going deep below is fitting to do with Terza Rima
BRAVO!!!
my first poem sampler is titled Pink Crush by gillena cox
available at Amazon.com
much love
Congrats on your book
Here’s to the analog revolt of the book dog!
Analog tends to be unchangeable
Those old books are precious. I love reading that last stanza Bjorn. And this poem flows with terza rima verses.
Terza rima is wonderful… and maybe what Lilian calls suduko poetry
I like your library poems. Books will never be obsolete!
They are obsolote today… we just need to keep them until they are needed again
:>)
As easy as it has become to consume nothing beats the smell of old books.
There is no scent from our digital platform… but I do remember books that reeked actually (especially one academic text-book)
one academic book I had to read reeked of tears and something …
comp science …
your reply made me laugh.
Oh I feel what you are saying Well written and let us keep on ‘gaining with care’
Indeed… care is need
Lovely use of the rhyming cycle. Topic’s spot on too.
Fun to do with rhyme
Interesting
Fortunately there are still some of us that do not think books are obsolete and who value libraries. This made me think of Fahrenheit 451, and how some kept books alive, even though the books were being burned.
Lovely use of rhyme.
Yes indeed… the ending of Fahrenheit 451 is there.
😊
Loved this poem in praise of books and the poetry form is ideal – I shall have to give it a go, Björn
It may come on a prompt one day —
I admire both the thoughts and flow of your words – Jae
It was fun to write
I love your poem. It reminded me of book burning in World War II. Current regime in the US is still trying to dumb down America by trying to change history.
It’s not so different from Soviet Union actually
Yes, anywhere in the world with an authoritarian leader.
This feels like a gentle encouragement and clarion from a time-traveling librarian?
Dunno- that is for you to say.
In any event, so true.
Love it!
Vive la résistance littéraire!
Indeed… let’s keep the books.
“unknowing we became, enslaved, not free”
Creating literacy for all has been a lifelong mission. Long live books and the delight that comes from being able to read.