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Classic and Contemporary Poetry


IN A LIBRARY by ELEANOR G. R. YOUNG

First Line: THEY LEFT ME THERE
Last Line: AND SHOOK MY HEAD.
Subject(s): BOOKS; LIBRARIES & LIBRARIANS; READING;

They left me there
In that great, silent room
Lined on all sides with books,
The sunlight filtered through old leaded glass.
They did not notice my half-hushed delight
At the dear, beckoning sight
Of that wide world of books;
They only thought that I must wait somewhere
And left me there
With countless treasures that called out to me
In friendly greeting, so persistently
That I stepped forward. How could I choose
Among so many? After a long while
I timidly reached out and took
A little, well-thumbed book
And laughed aloud because the very lines
Penciled so heavily in deep, firm blue
Were passages I loved and cherished too.

"Were we so very long?" my three friends said.
I looked about the dear low-vaulted room,
Looked at the well-thumbed book upon my lap,
And shook my head.



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