The Vision of 1935
I’m often asked, what do you do?
Who needs a Residential Writer?
Well, for yuletide’s celebration
This flawed wordsmith’s penned a poem.
Dare I share my mangled verses?
Written a la Hiawatha?
Longfellow’s meter disrespected
Trashing trochaic tetrameter.
Allow me please to share a poem
To make you smile and share a story.
Since here we are all gathered nicely
Come to laud our love of reading
Not to mention pie, wine and puddings.
Our library grew from the Depression
The best of times the worst of times
Between the wars, when there was hardship
Great and good they strove to help us
Uplift the workers, and the masses.
Believing in those days of struggle
There should be in every district
Hubs to share ideas and info
For peoples’ guidance and for thought.
Not to keep the knowledge inside
But to spread the wisdom streetside.
Such a building giving focus
Second home for thinking people.
The Council built it, nothing fancy
Plain red brick in ‘30s fashion
Now here in Rock Road, friends n neighbours
Campaigned hard to scupper closure
One-pound bricks to build a toilet
Walls were painted; books donated.
Made a garden from a jungle
Bought in benches. Trees were planted.
Warm-space for the cold and cash-strapped
Place for yoga, films and stories
Computers for the less-than-techy
Newspapers, art and crafty projects
Scrabble, Lego, Write Club, plant sales
Apple Day and Halloween.
So you ask what’s next at Rock Road?
We’ll fix the roof and keep doors open
And maybe find a better poet?
Whatever is your inclination
We must use this fine oasis
Take out books – support our authors
And dare to party twixt the bookshelves.
Now as your residential writer
I’ll wish you all a Happy Christmas.
And Nigel quick: call acts more worthy!
Or bring wine and more mince pies.
Jane Wilson-Howarth is Rock Road Library’s fourth Writer-in-Residence