Mothballs & dog-ears

There’s magic in books
A late 18th century text
Rare unbound version
I think.
Scarce as a penny black
A book-shelf my haven
Every column stacked
With history and art
Poetry and dance
Science and technology
Games and sport.
Et toi?
Seem like the extraverted type:
A well-worn illustrated tome
Filled with bold Helvetica
Paintings by Rembrandt
With tracing paper
Covering the pictures.
We swap like children
Then make love
On the ledge.

By Raymond Enisuoh