Lure Of The Letters

Silently the doors 
slide open 
as though they know 
here they are not 
permitted to squeak
For a moment 
I feel the hush 
soothe nerves 
frayed by life's 
incessant clamour 
My eyes feast on
endless rows 
of temptation
neatly arranged
some fat 
some tall 
some slim 
I am pulled
this way
then that
an eager child
let loose
in a candy store
As the calm 
seeps into my skin 
relaxes my mind 
I pick a letter 
to start with
Today it is S 
perhaps because
the scent of spring 
that emanates 
from this row 
The rhythmic tilting 
of my head 
to read the titles 
lulls me into 
a happy state 
I pull one out 
lured by the title 
Beneath The Bleeding 
by Val McDermid  
It promises murder 
Blood and gore 
always attracts me 
I drop it into the basket 
then I meander through 
the other letters 
stopping at B
touching V 
skimming L
Reading R
Some join the others 
in the basket 
others are left 
on the shelves
for another day
maybe
I pay no heed
to the time
noticing only when
my basket is too heavy
I can't take them all
so I find a quiet corner
to sift through the pile
whittling it down
until I reach the limit
Like a reluctant lover
I leave some behind
hoping they will
wait to get into
my good books
The chosen ones
I carry home
eager for a
cup of coffee
and the wonders
of a world
I will step into
on the first page


© 2014 Uma Venkatraman ~ All Rights Reserved