as I enter my library
finally
after getting sick of waiting
just thinking about it
and for what purpose
since it was already here
antique key in hand
shimmering patina in heart
the impossibly heavy mahogany door
seems to glide with ethereal grace
stepping in
I look up
pause
and I keep looking up
and up
and up
and even when I look right or left
behind me
ahead
I keep looking
trying to make out some ending
squinting in awe
locked in stare
but it all only seems to fade beyond vision
of the I’s
so I hop on my ladder to try out a chase
wheels freshly greased so that it slides
doesn’t squeak for now
rather than clunking along
though I always love the comfortable clunking
I grab one shelf
right at the join
pull myself closer to the epic
and then push with ease now
as I straighten the bend in my arm
release the squeeze of my muscles
breathe into my stomach
and let go
and I begin to slide
and slide
and slide
past volumes, editions and
histories
through corridors straight and curved
the track runs every direction
somehow the hardware and engineering become flexible beyond human nature’s common law
4D, 5D, 10D it doesn’t submit to any dimension
the pace never dulls
a bearing without friction
and the scenery
oh the scenery
alphabetical and all so unique from section to section
with their perfectly coded spines
oh the blur,
the shelves, the room, and I
flying through centuries towards the white fade
and somehow we never reach it
while we’re in it
we never reach it
while we are in it
and then,
we’re in it
the majesty of the whole scale
realized
above below, left right
behind and
in front
and at the exact same time
the splinter under the edge of the bottom shelf
obscured by a sheen of dust and
the old hair of readers in prayer
marvelous.
my breathing seems to go completely
somewhere
it’s not required here
so I clamber,
melting off my ladder
the squeaky creak of the boards cuddling my soul
and as I nestle into the corner of corners
beholding the expanding ancient timber
and engravings across the sphere of time
I feel like I finally know what it is to smile
knowing that this is my place
the smile transcending my physical face
and without the need for consideration
I know I’ll stay in this corner of corners forever
nestled in endlessness
my library