Patricia Prime

The Library Comes to Call

almost warm
in mittens and scarves
icy day

The mobile library lady's van is red: you can see it coming down the road. Mum piles the old books up: The Secret Seven, Anne of Green Gables, Heidi, Pippi Longstocking. The boys' books are more adventurous: Just William and Treasure Island. Mum gathers up her romances. We stand outside the house, hop from foot to foot, waiting for the van to come to a halt.

All I want are Great Expectations, Tom Sawyer, The Water Babies and Alice in Wonderland. The lady lets down the steps and we enter two at a time. The van rocks as we slide each book out from the shelves. Mum and the other mothers talk on the pavement while we make our choices. Then it's their turn.

Returning to the couch or favourite armchair, we curl up with legs tucked beneath us while mum makes scones or shortbread.

deep in the chair
reading 'till the stories
come true