The Librarian
THE LIBRARIAN
I place a call upstairs
To the library and archives
Where the old retainer’s stationed
Twenty-four seven (long hours, I admit
But they’re pretty simple tasks)
I’d like to access some word
Some book, some film, some name
Some person’s face or history
“Please,” I say, ever so politely
I always say “Please”
And “Thank you very much” as well
Hoping of course (as the brightest
Among you will have guessed)
That this carrot approach will
In time improve his performance
The stick approach is
In my humble opinion
Morally repugnant
(And in practice
Counterproductive anyway)
The doddering voice
Remains silent
While in the silence
In the distance
I can discern
Those doddery footsteps
Receding among the stacks
Will he return, I wonder
Sometimes he’s gone for hours
For days even
Perhaps it’s time for superannuation
But he was always so loyal
And reliable in a crisis
Besides if I were to retire him
I’d get to wondering who’d be next
Posted on January 2, 2013, in Poetry, Writing and tagged Ageing, Compassion, Life, Memory. Bookmark the permalink. 12 Comments.
I always say to myself – if there’s one thing I want to surround myself with as I age, it’d be with books.
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Ah, yes. And also music, of course.
This poem is really about deteriorating memory and one’s eventual demise.
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I truly liked this! The poem applies to all instances where we use pleads for egoistic means and in a way hope to get something in return (the librarian could leave up to a few days after all). But in such a reading I wonder how the selfish ego chooses to “retire” those who answer the ego’s call. Then the narrator suddenly becomes deceiving.
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It is pleasing to my ego that you have taken the time to explore other possible interpretations of the poem. Thank you. 🙂
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Dear me, you’re more polite than I am with my librarian!
Maybe I should try the carrot more often LoL.
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Better for the heart I think. 🙂
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Absolutely ♡
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One day at a time and only a few notice what we forget. Just continue on looking mysterious, I say.
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I guessed you might be doing that. 😛
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Teehee hee!
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Truly, I do think of you enjoying being a little mysterious, leaving folk guessing.
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Mostly just shy…bashful and a huge blusher, actually.
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