"She is a friend of my mind. She gather me, man. The pieces I am, she gather them and give them back to me in all the right order. It's good, you know, when you got a woman who is a friend of your mind."
- Toni Morrison, Beloved
i like to read books all in one sitting, whether they're crisp & brand new or pounds-heavy & library-stamped, i like to curl up somewhere bright & finish them off. so that the rest of my dull sun-warmed day doesn't ease into the cracks of the story. so that the story doesn't crack in the first place, but is, instead, unfolded into my palms, one shining sheet you could put your face to -- at the same time transparent & reflective
like i said, books are too perfect to have the rest of my sad life get in the way; which is why i can disappear for hours into anything -- & resurface without baggage or anger, without memory.
like i said, books are a great substitute for real life. i've borrowed a tall stack from the library with the hopes of disappearing along with them.
but this house is too noisy; everyone is yelling for someone else, something is breaking, in another room a television's sound is being turned up -- nothing to do but pack a bag full of pages & bike until sight is reduced to spotting things one can sit on, in the shade, in order to read.
--
happy birthday to
mr. pol doble, repository of sudden wisdom, & all-around kaleidoscope of good vibes! sorry yr greeting's in such a depressing entry. i owe you a beer!