Dictionary Reimagined

Photo by Romain Vignes on Unsplash

Dictionary Re-imagined

I'm picturing all those words
blown into the sky
drifting
landing gently on somebodies shoes
going
wherever they go.

I'm seeing those books
with dense lines of words
being shredded
for pet bed padding
or new-age house cladding.

I'm feeling the weight
of language translation
printed
paths from my world to yours
but clarity disguised with heavy gauze.

Are we blinkered by our tradition?
What could these books become?
urbanised
part of the landscape
left in the sun to dry
pages curling
meaning unfurling.

My fingers touch the pages
tracing columns and lines
memories sparking
stories
other times and textures
written as personal fixtures.

Those books gathering dust
can only mean so much
if held
treasured
polished with silver brush
let meaning never be rushed

With heavy heart beating
my thought drops blood
on pages
with dread and light vanished
darkness of dictionary banished.

Sparked from 'A paper dictionary is absent in my house' Sheri Edwards

by
Wendy Taleo