Borders and Me
Borders, a 40 year old bookstore filed bankruptcy and it’s a sad day. This post is not about a superstore who drove many mom-and-pop bookstores out of business. This is about our changing industry and of a future that may someday not have books to line the shelves of mom-and-pop bookshops. This is about a place in time when I was treated like any other respected writer in the country. Borders, Hawaii held readings and book signings for each of my four most recent books and was always kind and generous to me. As with other bookshops in Hawaii, I was always greeted with a fresh orchid lei, my favorite cafe mocha, bottled water and pens. It was an ego trip to walk toward Borders and see a large promotional poster advertising my event and to be greeted by name by the manager. Thank you, Borders, for helping me feel I was a writer.
Borders
Eons from now,
I will be sitting alone
Under a tree perhaps,
Turning pages of a book.
The sound of paper, delicate
As hummingbird wings, joins the rustling of leaves.
I take the top right corner of each page
Between my thumb and forefinger and savor
The sound now lost to man.
“Why are you weeping?” You will ask,
With Kindle in hand.
“Because this is the last book on earth.”
“What is that?” You will ask.
“This?” I say. “This is a bookmark.”
Then I will turn to the front of the book.
“This is an autograph signed by the author.
She signed this to me in real ink eons ago
At a book signing at Borders.”
“So why are you weeping?” you will ask.
