bad book, bad poem

bad book, bad poem

 

 

you opened me and read page one

my initial paragraph couldn't draw your attention

I know I could have had you by page two

 

but you closed me up 

and returned me to the library

where I sat back on the shelf waiting for 

another's hands to thumb through me,

even just to look at my cover

 

read the blurbs of my faithful heart

how I would have given anything to excel in your plot

to be the most agreeable character for your taste

but once again, my dust cover gathers

lonely particles

little pieces of me racing from an ending

back to the preface

 

before I saw you the first time

before you took a chance on me 

and brought me home with you

you slid under the covers as I dreamed

of possibilities

counting page numbers we would turn together

 

but you got halfway through my first page,

flipped me onto the night table

shut out the moonlight

 

and left me a shadow on a shelf

dreaming of our almost night together

and the weekend we might have had.

 

 

 

erin-cilberto

5/8/2020

Reviews

[Zoe Richardson]

It's a two-edged sword, isn't it? Do we want to be read, and possibly not understood? Or do we want to wait for those who have been looking for a book just like the one we are, even if it means a long time on the shelf? Your poem hints at loneliness. At being misunderstood by the one you were written for, and who was supposed to find you. I offer you the hope of remembering that the writing itself, and being a finished book instead of a WIP, is something to take pride and comfort in!

[jacob erin-cilberto]

"a book carelessly left open" a line from a poem Sexton wrote about Plath....always liked that line, and I like this review...I like where you took this poem...thank you, Zoe,
j.

[barleygirl]

Such a dusty & accurate depiction of how inadequate we often feel, in the face of anything we deeply wish for. Brilliant popping extended metaphor (((HUGS)))

[jacob erin-cilberto]

oooh I like that.."dusty & accurate depiction....yes, we often do feel fairly inadequate.
thank you, dear friend.
j.

[Dave]

At least a chance, a look at the second chapter. Sometimes it takes a little while "to build up steam." But it seems that we are all in such a hurry. We want our gratification quickly and we want it now! A lot was said here, Jacob.
Take care - Dave

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Instant gratification can be dangerous as well as obliging.
thank you for your words, Dave,read moreInstant gratification can be dangerous as well as obliging.
thank you for your words, Dave,
j.

[Unspoken poet]

I enjoyed this write, it is like it is speaking to one to get that book, dust it off and reopen it and read more. Just like in life, dust our self off and keep going.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Your comment is better than the poem itself.
Yes, dust our self off, and carry onward.
thank you, Kimmie,
j.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Is that you in the pic in that thoughtful pose?

[Unspoken poet]

No it is just an avatar, I don't like my mug, it isn't all that pretty.

[Adeline E. Weathers]

Wanting to tell people about yourself is rather tiring since no one ever goes beyond after a few introductions, some might but after a tragic story, they'd run away. And when some go through it all, they expect more and seem even forced.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

so spot on with your thoughts here, Adeline,
thank you
j.

[Adeline E. Weathers]

Thank you, it just made me think of that and how it's too real. I would want to read more.

[Lydia Shutter]

You are posting older poems today.....and this is one I think I have read in the past. I enjoyed the book metaphor so much! Lydi**

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you, Lydi.
j.

[andrew mitchell]

It’s really a scenario of “like the cover, turn the page.” Sadly you were not the chosen one but we do try to be that best seller, or try to be that mystery thriller. Anyway could be worse, we could all be bibles put away for safe keeping in a draw.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind review, andrew,
j.

[andrew mitchell]

Just remember J, the longest sentence in the English language is “ I do.”

[jacob erin-cilberto]

for me three I do's put together lasted less than nine years...so I guess I got paroled early.
j.

[John the Baptist]

You give it all you have, and then still wind up in a GoodWill store. Written off.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Amen, John, amen.
thank you,
j.

[Lorry]

This Jacob, is what is known in these here parts, as a belter of a write and is right at this very minute on its way to favourites of your writerations.
BACK gathering lonely particles just tingleated my inside heady thinky thing, that may have left your almost reader with a "meh", but I for one shall give this it's very own bookmark (my library is still acting weird and won't let me save anything to it)
You've taken a simple idea of gathering dust on a shelf and expanded it into the life and times of....
So in summation, me likey 😊

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Thank you for the words and the smile, Lorry,
j.

[Hayllie]

How true this is and relatable, at least to me. I am very bad about if I can't get drawn into a book after the first few pages I simply give up; but I would like to think like your wounderful work here..."What if..?" what if I had just finished the first chapter? I may have been drawn in more, you can't go simply by the first page..Very nice read and idea!

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Thank you for your kind review, Hayllie,
j.