Poetry Forum

(work in progress)

Second hand books smell funny.
They’re dusty, filled with dead bugs
and old man boogas
pressed between the pages.
Someone likes to keep safe
the boogas, don’t touch!
I wouldnt lick a second hand book,
but sometimes I like to press my nose to the pages,
and squeeze my cheek too.
Someone was here before, and when Im close
I get their fingerprints on my face! I breathe in that old breath…
Mr whoever had his nose in this book long before,
and was caught up in something quite wonderful.

Best way to feel the past- lick a book?

It's a nice read, but I wonder whether the word "funny" gels well with the feel and content of the rest of the piece. Loved the line: "I get their fingerprints on my face". I'd perhaps revise the entire poem centered around this particular line. Good work. I'd love to see where this one goes.
Thanks.

Hey, LaMOi.

Lots of nice rich sensory stuff going on in here, and some rather humourous lines too.

I guess you've probably been banned from all the second-hand bookshops wherever you live

"fingerprints on my face"... yes, I like that. Visually appealing.

Booklicking - a window on history.

Thanks for a nice read.

- Neil.

Nice theme. I too love the smell of old books!

yeah it centres around two things.. Me overcoming my neurosis (as a kid i never liked touching second hand stuff - fear of bogeys i guess!), and also my fascination with secondhand stuff especially books, as at one point in time, someone was there reading, dreaming, thinking, in there own private garden.. And its like now Im sneaking in where they used to be.. Im one with a part of their history and they dont even kno.. Maybe their dead! But still, and then licking a book, is the ultimate, throw yourself into overcoming neurosis by licking the damn thing!! Yuk

Im gonna revise this..

old books do smell - the ones I come across tend to veer towards a smell of damp wee.

Really enjoyed the while feel of this - especially the line about licking a book - come on admit it, we've all done it.

Hi LaMOi,

It's an interesting comment on old books which I quite liked.

Arunansu has mentioned L1 'Secondhand books smell funny' , but I'm wondering if you were writing it almost from a child's perspective, in which case it fits well.

My only small niggle is L7 - I wouldnt lick a second hand book. You seem to contradict that with your final line which although a question just seems a little difficult to square.

Cheers
Smiffey