sophia (used) bookstore

[Chaotic Action Man]

if you go in early
you can stay all day
amongst the faded pages.
the towers from floor to ceiling,
like a cave where,
stalagmites and stalactites have kissed
and joined in the immortal embrace
of a geological formation.

the old man at the counter,
who has worked there for years,
knows the exact position and place
of every author or title you require
and you marvel
that you’ve never seen him look it up,
not even once.

the smell of
dust and knowledge
hangs so thick,
when the light shines through
windows devoid of books,
you can see the particles of memory
floating in the air;
and at times you think
maybe you can learn in here
just by breathing in deep.

how can this small space,
the repository of knowledge,
make any money?
when you notice that besides yourself.
perhaps only a handful of people enter each day
and many of them are the same people.

you doubt they even buy that many books,
for the staff let you read for as long as you want,
not intent on making the sale,
rather content that you are in the store.
you really can stay
all day
if you go in early.

 

[blahblahblah]

Good one I liked it...

Reminded me of old out of the way bookstores in the city that have the strangest stuff, plus dust bookshelfs, wooden libraries and

particles of memory floating in the air;