Hello there love bugs. So, today’s Writer’s Quote Wednesday Writer’s Challenge as hosted by Colleen and Ronovan, is on the topic of OBSESSION (*imagines drum sound in head*). But, here’s the thing guys, I couldn’t really find, or think, of a quote on obsession I really liked. Soooo… instead I wrote a poem.
If My Books Shall Die
If my books shall die
I have labored in vain
I have swam through centuries
And ran years in someone else shoes
I have climbed mountains
And crawled under valley’s
only to bleed death
I have carved my obsession
Into paper using invisible ink
If my books shall die
I do not wish to live
on the tops of your shelves
Or faced down on kitchen counters
Or underneath your children’s beds
I do not wish to live
In the palms of your hands
Or standing next to Grandmother’s old picture
In the living room
Grandmother is dead
And I do not wish to die
I want my books to live
Not on top coffee tables
But inside of you
When I am dead
No longer among the living
Crack open a book written by me
And feel my breath on your skin
Hear my voice resurrect from inside an ancient pen
Watch my tongue dance
See my lips move
And witness passion soar from beyond the grave
I read James Baldwin today
And realized I was carrying his bones
In the crooks of my arms
If my books shall die
Then my words did not really contain life
But if my books shall live
What are you waiting for?
Go to your bookshelf
Resurrect me
And carry
My bones
******
Wow! Just WOW! I have goosebumps! Lisa, from Zen and Pi, did her WQWWC on James Baldwin and then you talked about him too! I loved your prose, Yecheilyah, and believe me, your words and stories live in my heart. ❤
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Excellent. I have to go and read her Baldwin post now 🙂
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