Not that I don’t know the difference between a huge bird and a fluffy-fluffy cat. It’s just this photo reminded me of Mom’s poem called “That Book” from 23 years ago:

That Book

That book she wanted more than any other
was exiled to the highest shelf
her gold eyes recognized its red
but reaching it meant mountain climbing
far too far

Next day she hired a huge bird
one with a strong beak and balance
and when he laid it in her lap
she seized it like a luscious fruit
and feasted

~ joan vayo August 11, 2000

Funny thing, a few years back that same poem reminded me of a friend I met on the “Fans of Folio” Facebook group. We book geeks like to post “shelfies” instead of “selfies.” And I have a feeling most of us immediately zoom in to see which treasures are lined up in each bookcase. Chelsea, who hails from Canada, has an innate talent for arranging her books and decorating her shelves.

(Book)case in point:

I don’t think Pippin was even a wee puffball yet when I sent Chelsea a copy of Mom’s “That Book” poem. It was so nice to get to know someone who loved poetry, I sent her a copy of Mom’s poetry book.

And now, all these months later, we come full circle with Pippin.

Brief sidebar: The musical Pippin (“the fictitious life of Pippin the Hunchback, son of Charlemagne”) was new on Broadway when we lived in Fairfield, Connecticut. Thinking myself clever, I tried to con my 8th grade history teacher into taking our class to see it, but he just let out a little wasn’t-born-yesterday snort and walked away. Although we didn’t see it on Broadway, Mom and I caught the First U.S. Tour a few years later (by then we lived in Indiana). It wasn’t until the curtain call that I glanced at the show program in my hand and realized Pippin was played by noneotherthan Barry Williams. Sorry, but … eww. Never was a fan of that TV show or that character. So it’s probably best I didn’t know it was ol’ Greg Brady up on stage ’til the very end. Loved the musical, though. (/sidebar)

Thank you, Chelsea, for your friendship and your lovely photos, as you “spread a little sunshine” in our Folio group.

“That Book” © 2000  Joan Vayo. All rights reserved.

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