Solitary Book Poem by Hans Ostrom

She's a solitary book. She

wants a shelf all to herself.



She's well printed inside

and bound with a durable,



beautiful cover. She's full

of ideas, pathos, and humor.



Sometimes she invites me in.

There it is a local heaven.



From her name and table

of contents through to the



colophon, back and forth

I go along innumerable paths,



knowing her story in some

of its endless ways. It's never



long before she sends me away.

She likes a shelf all to herself



and is most comfortable when

closed.







hans ostrom 2018