by E A M Harris
Take it if you want.
I bought it at a jumble sale,
a half-forgotten shuffle
round a strange church hall,
ten years ago.
I never discovered which charity
supported so caringly those piles
of old clothes and home-made pies,
but at such affairs one must buy.
So I bought that
no doubt out of print, red-spined novel
in a language I can’t read – a silent Babel.
But the smart Gothic script moulds
pages, chapters, – back to back words
like ideal trestle tables
lining straight, white aisles, loaded
with meaning; neat,
sharp-cornered, dense.
I gave ten pence, an inch of shelf
ten years ago.
Bought it for the look of the letters,
some small change to a local cause
and because the bookstall lady,
bold in others’ service,
with her glass one, caught my eye
and dared me to walk by.
–
E A M Harris is just starting out on her writing career.
The Pygmy Giant 
#1 by Freya Morris on August 21, 2011 - 9:01 am
Love yor descriptions of the written word. It also has such a British feel about it.
#2 by jennifer walmsley on August 21, 2011 - 10:39 am
Really enjoyed this. Loved the rhythm and the description of the book. Humourous end with the bookseller catching her eye.
Good start to your writing career.
#3 by Oonah on August 21, 2011 - 11:08 am
Nice work
#4 by Nathan on August 21, 2011 - 4:56 pm
I liked this very much – if this is you just starting out I’m looking forward to seeing how good you might get.
#5 by mariann on August 22, 2011 - 10:16 am
Love the imagery in this poem and also its tight structure. So few words, so large a picture.
#6 by E A M Harris on August 22, 2011 - 9:11 pm
Thank you to all of you who have commented. It’s great to know you like my work and useful to know the reasons.
It’s made my week reading your comments.