A Book I Hadn't Read Poem by Jim Yerman

A woman I did not know and had never met before
stopped in the other day when no one else was in the store

She brought a book into the bookstore…that's a little odd I thought
then she asked if I had read the book…I said that I had not.

She looked into my eyes, smiled and nodded her head.
then proceeded to ask me questions about the book I hadn't read.

It really didn't matter that I could not answer her whos or whats or whys
because once she asked the questions she didn't wait for my replies.

She kept the conversation going without me about the book I hadn't read
While I listened, smiled and every now and then politely nodded my head.

But in the midst of her barrage of words…as I listened to her speak
I heard amidst her chattering…that her sister died last week.

I almost missed them when they first floated by…
so I waited a moment
and then
as I listened more intently…
they floated by again.

She said she hadn't been out much since her sister died and decided to take a walk
I imagine she was sad…and lonely…and just stopped in to talk.

So I kept right on listening and nodding and on my face I kept a smile
as she kept our one-sided conversation going for a while.

She thanked me as she left the store…you're welcome was all I could say
wishing I could have done a little more to help push her sadness away.

And even though she did all the talking
and not one word had I said
It was the best conversation I've ever had
about a book I hadn't read.