Stamp

Mike Edwards
Saturday, November 28th, 2009

 

Been in the library earlier doing some writing and people watching/chatting. Below is another work in progress based on a conversation i had with an older gentleman who uses the library and something i heard a friend of his say to the lady behind the desk regarding ‘bringing back the stamp.’

 

He says ‘You used to have a stamp. Now it’s all lasers and barcodes.’

He knows he’s getting old but he’s not averse to change.

He doesn’t mind the smooth lines,

Or the multicoloured scatter cushions.

He’s not phased by the computers or the coffee maker.

The fact that the Quiet Room has gone doesn’t bother him.

He knows the wall-pinned newspapers,

Were on the way out even then.

But if he misses one thing,

 If he had one wish,

He would bring back the stamp.

That reassuring thud.

The rhythmic thump,

That takes him back

To visiting the library as a lad.

His dad unfolding Ordnance Survey maps,

Whilst he would head for Westerns and Crime.

Stamp.

Pulpy covers show square jawed men, fedora hats.

Stamp.

 His dad’s rough fingers trace lines and tracks, plan next weeks hike.

Stamp.

Blotchy ink, muddy dates, the book’s history like a well-worn path.

Stamp.

His dad lifting him on to his lap, smell of ash and grass.

Stamp.

His dad’s crusty laugh, ‘not another cowboy’ and ‘two pages and we’ll head back.’

He says ‘You used to have a stamp. Now it’s all lasers and barcodes.’

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ABOUT THIS AUTHOR


Mike Edwards
A writer and performer from Stockton on Tees. A member of Monkfish Wordtank a multi media spoken word collective. A regular performer of poetry and character comedy in the North East and beyond.

  1. Naomi
    December 1st, 2009

    This really brought back to mind an experience I had in Sheffield LIbrary a few years ago. The library had a really lovely reading room upstairs, with old fashioned wooden long tables and wooden bucket chairs with leather seats all cracked and lumpy. The floor was tiled and there was a general ‘echo’ quality since it was such a big, airy room. The walls had alcoves with bookshelves stacked high and lots of ferny plants around. I remember there being a lot of high windows with lots of light coming through. I don’t know if it’s been changed now, maybe more carpet, probably more computers… I remember thinking then that there was something really comforting about the old-fashioned-ness of the place, it was the kind of space you’d imagine a library to be in fiction or a film. I’m not knocking the changes in culture which have come to libraries, some of which are really excellent, but I always like those old fashioned rooms, and the sound of the stamp, rather than the ‘bleep’ of the computer…

    Look forward to reading more!
    Naomi

    Reply


  2. annamaria
    December 8th, 2009

    heard almost the same conversation in penzance library…and i miss the stamp too..it’s the conversation that went with it..
    lovely poem, about so much more than the book stamp..about human contact and touch.
    annamaria

    Reply

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