National Poetry Day

Today was national poetry day, and working in a library we do make a bit of a thing about it :). Todays photo is just a couple of my own poetry books. I was asked by one of the Librarians if I would recite a poem in front  of the video camera, so it could go out on our social media page. I reluctantly agreed and chose:
Bookends by Tony Harrison
Baked the day she suddenly dropped dead
we chew it slowly that last apple pie.
Shocked into sleeplessness you're scared of bed.
We never could talk much, and now don't try.
You're like book ends, the pair of you, she'd say,
Hog that grate, say nothing, sit, sleep, stare…
The 'scholar' me, you, worn out on poor pay,
only our silence made us seem a pair.
Not as good for staring in, blue gas,
too regular each bud, each yellow spike.
At night you need my company to pass
and she not here to tell us we're alike!
You're life's all shattered into smithereens.
Back in our silences and sullen looks,
for all the Scotch we drink, what's still between 's
not the thirty or so years, but books, books, books.