Hilaire

lever

it’s at the back of my head.

requires force

and blind belief.

a binary

industrial strength switch.

a trick. I forget

if up is down

and down, up

or quite the reverse.

this is no easy flick.

grab that hard plastic

grease-grimed handle

with both hands

and muscle it fully

to its opposite position.

you’re in control. my only plea:

don’t leave me jammed

half way.

the house of the bibliomane

Once I was fresh off the press

bright with printer’s inks

my virgin pages thirsty

for thumbprints, first riflings

Soon stacked between rivals

one of a pile, one pile among many

I settled into neglect

the faux glamour of foxing

Mute as a battery my pages seize up

forget what it means to be read