Since the pandemic, my wife and I have enjoyed Malcolm Guite‘s, Spells in the Library which he posted during the pandemic each week, but since things have normalized and schedules have returned to normal, his spells have been posted less frequently. We still love them, and are reminded of how his sharing of hospitality helped to sustain us during a difficult season.

The video posted below, is one of those spells in which he shares his library (and its sometimes chaotic state) with his viewers. During the video he muses, “The sheer untidiness tells a story. All of these things have been gotten out and used… then another necessity has hastened upon it. There’s time to take things out and to read them and reflect on them. But tragically there is no time to put them away.” I think that’s poetry.

Below, I made use of his words as the fuel to write a villanellesque poem about the tensions of time and reading and alas, tidying up. If any of these words are worthy, the credit is to Dr Guite who has been so generous, if there is an fault, it is all mine.

You may listen to me read my poem via the player below.

There’s time to take things out, read them all day
Time for your fingers to walk through the leaves,
But sadly, no time to put them away.

The sheer untidiness tells of the way
Books beg to be browsed as flowers are bees
Who wouldn’t want time to read them all day?

They all have their place, you know where they stay
Necessity hastens, “Follow my lead.”
And now there’s no time to put them away.

Words transport, longing bears one away
To spice-laden lands blown by their breeze.
How can one help but not read them all day?

Time! It’s time to go! Out! Into the fray!
You’re late! You can’t just do as you please!
“Sorry, must go, Dear. Can’t put them away.”

Busy at your desk, you hear children play,
Sing over and over, “Take up and read.”
Give them time. Take them out. Read them all day.
Better than take time to put them away.

© Randall Edwards 2023