Greetings, Poetry Lovers! Saturday is Independent Bookstore Day, which you can learn all about here. Now, just reading that sentence, didn't your FAVORITE bookstore (past or present) pop right into your mind? Where would we be without our beloved indie bookstores?
One of my faves here in Beaufort is Nevermore Books, owned by Lorrie and David Anderson. They started out just off Bay Street in a cozy basement nook of a historic building, shortly after we moved here. Now they have a bit more elbow room (but still a cool, mysterious vibe) on historic Craven Street. [I think they moved just to be able to use their tagline, "Look for the Raven on Craven."] Check out their darkly delightful website here.
I was hoping to be there in person Saturday but we've had a change of plans for the day. I've been conjuring up some items to have available there, though, as it's been way too long since I've restocked artsyletters goodies in the shop. My name ended up in the paper for the celebration (Thanks, Lorrie!), so I'll be sure to send along some old and new things, such as the book club gift pack pictured above, fresh out of the creative oven.
Do you have a special bookstore (or five) you'll be dropping in on Saturday? New or used, books are treasures. I've got a 1997 version (with a 2003 preface) of The Oxford Dictionary of Literary Quotations, edited by Peter Kemp. In browsing the theme of "Books," I found several quotes reminding me that books haven't always been with us humans, and there could be a time when they are not (but I hope that's not true).
Here's a quote by Martial (A.D. c. 40 - c. 104), apparently written around 84 or 85 A.D., on the codex. The source is Lionel Casson in Libraries in the Ancient World (2001):
You want to take my poems wherever you go,
As companions, say, on a trip to some distant land?
Buy this. It's packed tight into parchment pages, so,
Leave your rolls at home, for this takes just one hand!
--Catch a running start on our ancient Roman poet, Martial (Marcus Valerius Martialis), at OxfordBibliographies.com .
A bit closer to our own time, just a century and a half back, our beloved Emily Dickinson (1830 - 1886) penned one of my favorite poems about books, and I'm guessing it's one of yours, too.
There is no frigate like a book (1263)
There is no Frigate like a Book
To take us Lands away,
Nor any Coursers like a Page
Of prancing Poetry –
This Traverse may the poorest take
Without oppress of Toll –
How frugal is the Chariot
That bears a Human soul.
*Sigh* and *swoon*. Here's the poem's page at poets.org.
For more wonderful poetry today, prancing and otherwise, visit the amazing Carol at Beyond Literacy Link. And keep checking in on the Progressive Poem - Just a few more days and it will be complete!