the mind is free to wander,
explore unfamiliar places,
push boundaries of space
and time, suspend
disbelief and hide
between the covers,
meet new friends and lovers,
populate brave new worlds.
Pages and seasons turn
and so we learn
that when a book is closed
and night shadows teem,
the contents continue
to wander through our dreams.
Kim M. Russell, 17th May 2018
My response to Imaginary Garden with Real Toads Fireblossom Friday: Edward Emerson Simmons also linked to dVerse Poets Pub Open Link Night
In a special Fireblossom Friday, Shay has told us a wonderful story about exploring her DNA and ancestry, resulting in discovering her connection to the painter Edward Emerson Simmons.
Our challenge is to choose one of his paintings as inspiration for a poem. And thank you, Shay, for the wonderful word ‘galoot’!
writing in north norfolk 
Exactly! I love the use of “between the covers” to immediately jump the mind to being snuggled up in bed with a book.
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My favourite place to read!
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Books will save our lives–they have mine–in the act of giving us their own—opening an old favorite is like going into a friend’s house, a friend whose welcome is always there and always the same. I love your last few lines.
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Thank you! I couldn’t live without books!
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I love the word “galoot”, too! And like the idea of our reading wandering through our dreams.
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😊
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I too love the re-reading of a favorite book. I will often pick up a book and read it for ….the 20th time!
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😊
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I read The Scarlet Pimpernel umpteen time. Before the intenet age and again bought it and read it an ebook in the internet age.
Yeah
Luv you poem
Much l♥️ve
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Sure to be dreaming tonight then! 🙂
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🙂
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This is gorgeously penned, Kim! 💜 I love the image; “push boundaries of space and time, suspend disbelief and hide between the covers.” 😊
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Thank you, Sanaa! 🙂 xxx
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I like the continual wandering through our dreams at the end.
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This is a wonderful dive into a book… somehow it’s been such a long time since i lost myself inside a book… and I do miss that feeling.
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Take the plunge, Bjorn!
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What writer doesn’t love a poem about books!! Wonderful to read!
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Thank you, Jo!
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So lovely and such freedom, we just need to remember sometimes don’t we. XXXXXX
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Thank you, Alison! xxx
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I love how you wander through the world inside the book and it wanders through your dreams when it is closed. A wonderful write Kim, enjoy your weekend! :o) xxx
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Thank you, Xenia! I’ve just got up and have a while for reading and commenting on poems, then I’m off to one of the infant schools to listen to children read books! We’re visiting my daughter and baby Lucas tomorrow and realised that we’ll have to get up very early because of the ‘big wedding’ in Windsor – we’ll go the other way around the M25! Have a wonderful weekend, Xenia! 🙂 xxx
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Thank you Kim, have a lovely time with Lucas and your daughter! ☺💖 xxx
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We’ve had to change to Sunday because of the wedding and the cup final, amongst other things. I can’t wait!
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Kim- what a wonderful write.
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Thank you, Linda!
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Perfect!
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🙂
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“…suspend
disbelief and hide
between the covers,
meet new friends and lovers,
populate brave new worlds.
Pages and seasons turn….”
Oh my, yes! A bookaholic’s poem!
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🙂
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Our minds and thoughts can indeed wander and daydream ~ Very imaginative response Kim ~
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Thank you, Grace.
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Stuff that impresses up continues to float through our dreams. You are right about this!
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🙂
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Books really do become a part of me… Love this.
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Thank you, Margaret!
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What a refreshing thought! The contents indeed do wander about in our minds. Very clever!
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Thank you, Viv!
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🙂
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So well captures the magic of a good book’s long afterlife.
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She does seem to be totally engrossed in the book.
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This is indeed perfect, especially if it is a good book, the contents do continue to wander in our minds.
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Thanks Annell.
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there is a wonderful sense of peace and comfort in this
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Thank you!
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A perfect poem for this exquisite painting. I love it when there is such a fit response to an ekphrastic prompt.
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Thank you, Sarah.
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Oh yes, a book does all of that. Someday I will have time…to read without interruption.
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😊
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I like your thoughts, Kim, on “closing the book.” I never thought of as being alive, with the events and situations carrying on with it closed. I have used it some; closing the book ends things. Done.
..
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Hiding between the covers is such a delicious double meaning for me here, it felt like I was snuggled up in bed with a good book as I read your poem. Thanks for sharing.
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Thank you for reading and commenting!
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a flowing dip then deep dive of words so well suited to the painting chosen, and how well that the story doesn’t end even when we’ve turned the last page! magical!
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This was just lovely, Kim! As warm as the bedcovers when reading a book before bed.
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Thank you, Bekkie!
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