Reasons to love bookshops

It's Independent Bookshop Week in the UK so I thought I'd post a poem I wrote in celebration of bookshops. It was published in the Bookseller magazine recently. 



 


To bookshops (with apologies to Elizabeth Barrett Browning) 


How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

I love the jingle-jingle of the bell

announcing my arrival with a smile:

‘You’re in a bookshop. All will now be well.’

I love the spines of books upon the shelf

that promise romance, laughs and mysteries.

I love the smell of paper, print and ink,

the rustling of pages in the peace.

I love the ‘Recommendeds’ and the ‘New’,

the joyous promise of that corner chair

that tells me I should choose a book and rest -

convinces me that I have time to spare.

I love, I love, the beauteous books you sell.

(My bank account does not love thee so well.)



What do you like best about bookshops? Do you have a favourite one? Tell me why. 


Comments

  1. Allison Symes22/6/21 12:10

    Wonderful! Mind you, book shelf manufacturers do quite well.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Fran Hill23/6/21 02:50

      Something to bear in mind should I need another career!

      Delete
  2. River22/6/21 20:09

    The peacefulness, you don't get the stampeding hordes like department stores and supermarkets, people are more civilised and take their time browsing and choosing. Even the wait line to pay is easier. And of course the smell and those lovely covers just begging to be opened.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Fran Hill23/6/21 01:01

      Yes, refreshingly free of stampeding hordes! Thanks for your comment, River.

      Delete
  3. Friko23/6/21 02:07

    the way the independent bookseller comes over and asks what you're after today, a present maybe,
    an easy read for yourself, what's new, what's right up your street... or do you maybe want to learn about something you've always wanted to know?
    None of that is available on Amazon.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Fran Hill23/6/21 02:51

      You're so right, Friko. Amazon is soulless in comparison. Thanks for reading and commenting! Lovely to hear from you!

      Delete
  4. Anonymous23/6/21 02:28

    Ii agree, the peacefulness, and they have a different atmosphere from big retailers like Waterstones. More intimate, more personal.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Fran Hill23/6/21 02:53

      That's the beauty - each one has its individual stamp. A Waterstones tends to be a Waterstones, unless the manager has some kind of flair that can bring nuance, but I wonder if they're even allowed to.

      Delete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Reasons why Fran is desperately in search of earbuds

Image
My try-to-get-fitter walk in the fields today was a silent one. I usually listen to the radio through earphones but have lost one of the soft earbuds and nothing spoils a walk more than having hard plastic nudging up against your fragile tympanic membrane. The BBC's  'Woman's Hour' is a brilliant programme but loyalty has limits.  It was disconcerting, walking in silence. Listening to radio distracts from the disturbing reality that my legs are propelling me in forward motion because, if I think too hard about this, I frighten myself.  Today, while walking, I had to listen to my own thoughts.  And now I've listened to my own thoughts, I remember why I like radio better. The inside of my head is like a wastepaper basket.   Be grateful that I only offer you a brief excerpt.  Oh, look, that bird is - / Where did I put that mark scheme. I'll need it for - / My shoes are getting muddier./ Maybe mash with the fish tonight / really muddy / The trees are defin...
Read more

More evidence that the wrong consonant makes all the difference to a famous book title

Image
More typo-lit, one of my favourite genres: To Kilt a Mockingbird - a tale set in the Southern States of America in which a young family move into the area from Aberdeen.  The children are found dressing the local wildlife in tartan and have to be taught that clothing innocent victims in bright material is not acceptable.  The little girl (Scot) says, 'Shoot, Pa, that's the darndest thing I ever did hear!' and there is surprise all round at her adoption of the local dialect in such a short time. To Kiln a Mockingbird - a tale set in the Southern States of America in which a wise father teaches his children that to put an innocent bird into a red-hot oven, converting it into an attractive china piece for the kitchen, was bound to upset Aunt Alexandra when given as a birthday present, and if this was indeed their intention, they deserved a whipping.   They don't get the whipping; the father can't stand Aunt Alexandra either. To Bill a Mockingbird - a tale set ...
Read more

Reasons why Fran can get a 90,000 word novel down to a haiku if she's paid enough

Image
My first published story was in ‘Your Cat’ magazine.  (Don’t laugh … we all have to start somewhere.)  I sent the editor a 1500-word story.  She said she liked it (great!) and would publish it (fantastic!) but that I should cut it by a third and tighten up my style.  Ah.  Not so good. I loved every word of that story.  I gave birth to each one in pain and suffering, so there was NO WAY, absolutely NO WAY I was going to cut or change them.  I was determined.  I would stick to my guns.  She could forget it.  My mind was made up. Then she said she’d pay me £200 if I did the alterations.  I wavered for a whole nano-second.  U-turn Queen, that’s me, when it comes to hard cash. The editing of that heart-warming story about a couple who rediscover their love when their cat has a crisis (it was a real sick-bucket saga) taught me loads.  I hated making the changes.  I felt like a murderer, slashing and s...
Read more