My wedding anniversay was Wednesday and I pulled out a gift we had a received, a book of love poems by Nikki Giovanni. None of them seemed quite right for Poetry Friday but this one seems just perfect!
My First Memory (of Librarians)
by Nikki Giovanni
This is my first memory:
A big room with heavy wooden tables that sat on a creaky
wood floor
A line of green shades—bankers’ lights—down the center
Heavy oak chairs that were too low or maybe I was simply
too short
For me to sit in and read
So my first book was always big
In the foyer up four steps a semi-circle desk presided
To the left side the card catalogue
On the right newspapers draped over what looked like
a quilt rack
Magazines face out from the wall
The welcoming smile of my librarian
The anticipation in my heart
All those books—another world—just waiting
At my fingertips.
From Acolytes by Nikki Giovanni.
http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/19505
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Happy Anniversary, Susan!
Thanks, James. It was a lovely day!
Happy anniversary, Susan. And thanks for sharing that poem – it’s lovely.
Thanks Kelly. I wanted to share one from the book we received but they were all a little too mushy or a little too sexy for a Poetry Friday post. 🙂
TadMack says:
Oh, this is so cute. That her books were always “big” I just love — especially since she unconsciously rules out that SHE was so small. I wish I remembered my first librarian, but all I remember is that someone let me have books — I never stopped to look back or thank her…
Re: TadMack says:
I know what you mean about wishing to remember…I wish I could too. I just remember that for the longest time they didn’t want to let me take out more than a couple of books at time and I was so overjoyed when I reached the point where I could take home as many as I wanted.
Happy Anniversary. I hope your hubbie takes you to the library for a hot date. 🙂 I remember a moment, early in our marriage, when my husband and I were both intently reading and we looked up and smiled at each other and then went back to reading, and I thought: What would I have done if I’d married someone who didn’t smile when I was reading???
Sara Lewis Holmes
Read*Write*Believe
Happy late anniversary
My wife and I will be celebrating our 20th on Christmas day this year. So few weddings last very long anymore and I’m glad you are still celebrating your anniversary, that means one less broken relationship.
Re: Happy late anniversary
Thank you. Congrats on 20 years! That is an awesome milestone in today’s times.
Thanks. I think I read that years ago, but it’s good to re-discover it.
Happy belated anniversary, too!
Jules, 7-Imp
First happy anniversary. Second, what a great tribute to librarians. I love Nikki Giovanni’s poems.
Happy belated anniversary! I don’t remember their names, only know that there were several librarians who were very kind to a shy, lonely child. Great tribute poem.