Recent discussions on the
bedside crow bemoaned the fact that the could-be-a-lot-better Waterstones Christmas Catalogue has plenty of "cloakroom classics" (or 'books for the bog' if you run that through
babelfish using the "Marketing-to-English" setting) but no poetry.
Anyway, it just so happened that poetry was one of the sections that we really hadn't put a great deal of thought into when we opened (there was a long list of those BTW). But last week, with the back-ordered arrival of "Taking Off Emily Dickinson's Clothes" by Billy Collins, we cut the red tape and declared the poetry section 'open'.
(Thanks to
dovegreyreader for the Ruth Padel recommend. Sets the shelf off nicely.)
We have another section in the children's room - although it's a bit hidden away with the children's classics, so we may do one of our many rearrangements (the Sysiphean never-ending task of a bookseller, so I'm learning).
So, as a suitable repost to the big chains, Nicki and I have decided to launch our "give a poem for Christmas" campaign. This started in humble fashion on our chalkboard:
More sadly, I decided to dust down my teenage poetry-writing skills which have suffered badly in the intervening 20 odd years. However, this may become a regular feature, so there is a possibility that these poems will improve over time. I apologise for any aesthetic offence:
So - anyone else feel like hopping on board this slightly blatant bandwaggon? The perfect response to cloakroom classics methinks...
(Thanks to dovegreyreader for the Ruth Padel recommend. Sets the shelf off nicely.)
We have another section in the children's room - although it's a bit hidden away with the children's classics, so we may do one of our many rearrangements (the Sysiphean never-ending task of a bookseller, so I'm learning).
So, as a suitable repost to the big chains, Nicki and I have decided to launch our "give a poem for Christmas" campaign. This started in humble fashion on our chalkboard:
More sadly, I decided to dust down my teenage poetry-writing skills which have suffered badly in the intervening 20 odd years. However, this may become a regular feature, so there is a possibility that these poems will improve over time. I apologise for any aesthetic offence:
So - anyone else feel like hopping on board this slightly blatant bandwaggon? The perfect response to cloakroom classics methinks...
One From Longfellow Drive in Abingdon
ReplyDeletecalled Christmas Bells
by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!