Homage to Libraries and Librarians

While searching for books to read in the Clementi Library I was nicely surprised to see this title The Beautiful Librarians  written by poet Sean O'Brien on the shelves. In this collection there are altogether 39 poems and The Beautiful Librarians, the title poem of the collection is a nostalgic homage to the glory of libraries and librarians.

A homage to libraries and librarians

As a former librarian I was chaffed to read O'Brien's  fascination with the mysterious female staff of his local library.  But were librarians really that romantically memorable to stir a poet to "adoration"😊 

On quiet evenings at the issue desk, 

Stamping books and never looking up

At where I stood in adoration

I liked that he remembered and immortalised librarians with nostalgia and elevated us to the realms of poetry. Instead of depicting our role as repressive tyrants maintaining the golden rule of silence and crusty custodians  of dusty books we are recaptured  as guardian angels of "realms of gold" (meaning books or the collection)

Never to even brush in passing

Yet nonetheless keep faith with them

The ice queens in their realms of gold -

The ice queens and their realms of gold! 1960s - 2017 

Because I am a book addict and library person the poem resonates with me. Like O'Brien I too have kept faith with libraries, books and reading. But for him the future is bleak as he laments the UK government's cuts in library and funding services.

Book after book I kept my word

Elsewhere, long after they were gone

And all the brilliant stock was sold

📚📖📚📖📚📖📚📖

Next to Nature Art

Nature I loved; and next to Nature Art*

Pretty as a picture, the golden leaves strewn along the boardwalk  in the Windsor Nature Park.

 Composed by Nature



Windsor Nature Park is not only a Nature park, in many ways it is an art gallery of  Nature. Below a collage of leaf prints on the boardwalk.

Leaf prints on the boardwalk



And a close up of the fragile leaf print

A leaf print



Strolling along the narrow path one encounters numerous little art compositions from fallen coconuts to blooming mushrooms to logs of life depending on how one's eyes see and interpret the raw creations of Mother Earth.

Mushrooms bloom admidst the decay



Here's one celebrating fallen coconuts



Fallen Coconuts



Large  Log coexists with smaller plants

A kaleidoscopic view  of nature's raw art



The path through the woods is a narrow squeeze and walking along it can be a stressful experience especially when it gets crowded. On the other hand at quiet moments, it allows an intimate brush with nature while you make  your way  on a safe cemented track. Although the encroaching jungle is a hairs breath away I found the Windsor Woods  neither imposing nor sinister. Instead it presents a tranquil, benign   face  for  communion.

Just a closer walk with Nature

And here's a picture of Sophie my grandchild with her dad at the Windsor Nature Park, on a walk organised by her Childcare Centre My first Skool

Sophie's artwork inspired by her romp through the Forest

Artwork from Sophie my grandchild the Nature artist 👧

A collage of activities in the Park



 * Verse by Walter Savage Landor

I strove with none, for none was worth my strife;

Nature I loved; and next to Nature Art