Bookmarks
It might be a receipt, a bus ticket,
or if you need that ticket to return on,
the foil paper ripped from a half-packet
of gum, an old hairclip, something humdrum,
a pen, or even, in desperation,
a tissue, slightly used (do not judge them)
or whatever else can be foraged from
the handbag’s depths, the pocket’s mysteries:
a flyer picked up, or forgotten comb.
For just a moment, apply a finger
to answer the door for deliveries,
those cursed interruptions that hinder
your precious reading time, your word-filled nook.
Look: it could even be another book.
COLIN DARDIS
Colin Dardis is the author of ten poetry collections, most recently with the lakes (above/ground press, 2023) and What We Look Like in the Future (Red Wolf Editions, 2023). A neurodivergent poet, editor and sound artist, his work has been published widely throughout Ireland, the UK and USA.
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