Margaret Holbrook

The Library

Scent of wood polish, that and a no nonsense librarian,
Bredbury library and Miss Jackson I recall.
‘Shhh, can you be quiet, please?’
then, ‘and who does this dog belong to?’
I turn, it was Polly, she was mine.
From then on I’m positive I was viewed
over lowered glasses and always with
‘a bit of a look’.
Undeterred and minus dog, I read
and kept on reading.
Other libraries too, toyed with my affections.
Stockport – never seen a ghost.
Bolton – library, museum, aquaria – elephants?
Are they still on the tickets?
Bury – a very special place. Just off Silver Street.
Magical.
Poynton – books, events, coffee mornings.
Yes Miss Jackson, coffee mornings in the library.
How awful would that have been?

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