Second Hand Book

[Hully]

Second Hand Book

The book that I ‘found’ in the second hand store
Would never have thought itself ‘lost’
It sat on its back in a pile on the floor
The jacket was thin and embossed
The corners were frayed of cover and page
They bore the occasional tear
And text of the poems that faded with age
Told half of the tales that were there

There were notes in the margins in pencil and pen
And written by several hands
And written the way things are noted down when
They are done by one who ‘understands’
One writer wrote reams on the subjects and themes
While others, the rhythms and rhymes
The book carried so many thoughts that it seems
It had been ‘second hand’ many times

I turned to the front, to look inside the cover
And see what would be my expense
To find that the book was a gift from a lover
When prices were measured in pence
The brief dedication was sweet and sincere
It spoke of the future and trust
It was hard in that bookstore to hold back a tear
To think they and their future were dust

The different creases in corners each told
Where a favourite poem was kept
And water stained ink on a verse made me think
Of the eye that had read and had wept
A few pressed petals fell down from a page
- an attempt at preserving desire
While the smell of the paper, all smoky with age
Revealed it was read by the fire

And now in my hands it told me its tales
While surely it kept many more
And I would soon add some unknowing details
To the book that I ‘found’ in the store
Our lives are revealed in the objects we touch
Their worth does not equal their cost
And the book may not have pondered it much,
Would never have thought itself ‘lost’

h

[Rimeriter]

Hey mate.
Memories.
Memories.

"Thanks"
Jim.

[Maureen K Clifford]

Gee Hully you know how to put words together on a page - another pearler. Would love to hear this one set to music???? Have you? Is it?

[Neville Briggs]

Excellent Hully. Fine piece of writing.

[mummsie]

Beautiful Hully. I really enjoyed this one.

Cheers
Sue

[Mal McLean]

Weird to read this poem of yours Hully.

As it happens, I am trying to locate the family of one Hugh A R Campbell. Recently leafing through my late mum's collection of old books, (whatever took her fancy) I came across two leather bound volumes of 'The Works of Charles and Mary Lamb', published by Oxford 1924. Both volumes with the word 'Lamb" gold embossed on the front cover but on volume 1 was added" St Stephens Presbyterian Sabbath School Ipswich, Mrs Muir Memorial, 1925. Hugh A R Campbell."

The Ipswich Library have been able to tell me he may have been a descendant of one the first settlers, a blacksmith, Donald Campbell, who shod Leichhardts horses. I know that he lived in Syntax Street from a time worn note inside the cover of Volume 2. St Stephens are unable to shed any light on the prize or recipient, according to the library.

Then in one of those unexpected twists, while looking up my old mans service record in WW2, I punched in his name on a whim and found him Hugh A R Campbell, born Ipswich 1915, enlisted Mackay 1942, discharged 1946. Stationed at Townsville.

I am still on the trail. I hope to reunite his descendents with these books and in return I hope to be able to glean enough info about the man to write a short story or poem, following as best I can, the journey of the books and the man and culminating in the return of the books to his family. I have emailed the Ipswich genealogical society in the hope I might get some leads but I have not heard back from them yet. It might come to nothing and go nowhere, but I am hopefull.

I will keep you posted

Mal

[warooa]

Well said, Hully

Thanks. Marty

[croc]

...
Good stuff h
...c

[Heather]

Thoroughly enjoyed your wistful look at the poetry book and it's history. Brought a smile to my face Hully.

Heather

[Hully]

Thankyou all for your kind comments.

Maureen, no I havent got music for it (yet) - I actually just wrote it very quickly the day I posted it - but there are a few 'unworded' tunes kicking around in my head that I might be able to apply.

Good luck with the search Mal.

cheers all.

h