Today I wandered
through a bookshop
and heard a million sighs
as I waded through the rising tears.
The books -
all stacked to attract attention
and to hold it long enough
for the credit card
to be found -
patiently stood back to back -
without complaint.
Cries - screams - laughter
and gurgles of gladness -
all fought for an audience.
All those days of living -
observing - researching
and rewriting
seemed a waste of time -
now that the results
were going for cheap.
I also felt the disappointment
of those who had
received endless rejection letters -
and wondered about
all the unseen - unread - books -
still hidden in dark - dusty - attics -
or in boxes under beds.
Then I bent
and flipped through a life
on the bargain shelf -
and felt the soft puff
of it's end.