Tuesday Poem: Found in a Second-hand Bookshop

Found in a Second-hand Bookshop

To Julia, with love from Mummy. 1931


Lines of neat copperplate
mark Pavlova’s art deco ‘Life’.
A home made book-plate

promises to ‘keep and treasure’
in Julia's childish hand -
her pencilled ambitions underlined

`Art is hard work . . . you must not
think of self . . be practical . .
dreaming is useless . .'

On pages rubbed and frayed
the illustrations peel
from double-sided tape
as teetering ballerinas dance

through Julia's fantasies.
Saturday class. Pink satin shoes -
the rasp of sugared net.

`Art is hard work.'
The pages slip and curl.


Kathleen Jones

From a new collection 'Not Saying Goodbye at Gate 21', to be published by Templar Poetry in November.

For more poetry visit the Tuesday poets' blog at http://www.tuesdaypoem.blogspot.com/