The Trouble With Poetry

When I was fixing to leave Portland, TheSaintedDianne gave me a present. It was The Art of Drowning by Billy Collins. I was perplexed why she had chosen a book of poetry for me, and I had no idea who he was anyway. So I asked her. And she replied, "He is the poet laureate of the United States." So, I don't get out much. Had no idea.

Anyway, three poems from that book were incredibly moving to me (The Invention of the Saxophone, The Blues and Nightclub). So I immediately became a big fan.

So there I was at Border's, and I walk up to the New Releases table and a great book cover catches my eye. It is Billy Collin's new book, The Trouble With Poetry. So I am standing there for like, a good solid six minutes reading it, enjoying it, lost in it...and a worker starts talking. I ignore her, because she obviously isn't talking to ME. Finally she says very loudly, "Excuse me!" I look up and she says," Can I help you find anything?" Now...I haven't moved for about six minutes. Haven't looked up. Been reading and enjoying myself. What in the world made her think I was looking for something...unless she just wanted to (successfully) blow my moment?

So even though I had every intention of buying that book, I had to leave. Of course. And buy it from a store near my work later in the day.

Moral: When someone is reading, leave them be.