Rhyme of Our Time: Celebrating Libraries on National Poetry Day

With National Poetry Day taking place this week (Thursday 3 October), what better way to mark the occasion than with a poem about libraries? This poem is by Nigel Braggins, a poet local to Lorensbergs here in Hertford. Please see link below for more examples of Nigel’s work.

LIBRARY

A Rhyme of our Time poem by Nigel Braggins

There’s a lady in the library

but she isn’t there to read,

a little human kindness

fulfils a daily need.

Toddlers hearing tales

and joining in with rhymes,

borrowers returning

and a couple paying fines.

Someone else is climbing

their family tree,

computers and scanners

for everybody – free.

“Do you have a book,

it’s the one about a cat,

and another one perhaps

on this, or that?”

A student with a laptop

diligently crams.

The clock it is ticking,

down the time for exams.

Magazines and papers,

a safe, warm space.

Digital inclusion

with a friendly face.

Often all it takes

is a listening ear.

The kindness of strangers,

a Home Volunteer.

It is obvious to see

for anyone who looks –

it is so much more

than a place full of books.

There are many events taking place this week in libraries to mark National Poetry Day. You can check out what’s on by going to the Forward Arts Foundation website.

With thanks to Nigel for kindly agreeing for us to include the poem here on our website.