I’ve toyed with the idea of writing a response to KonMari & her method of keeping houses clean for a long while. There’s possibly another couple of related poems still to come out cos this wasn’t what I was expecting when I sat up to the puta. The Factoid is a purely economic one.

*****

The Life-Changing Magic of Having All The Books

Dear Marie Kondo,

As a matter of fact.

This book does spark joy.

As does this one.

And this.

And this stack here.

This stack, this stack & this very tall stack by my bed.

Here also this table full of books.

This desk with them all crowding my computer screen sometimes threatens to collapse … but it would be a joyous kind of collapse if they ever did.

This box in the hallway (except when I stub my toe on it going to the bathroom but that’s only like once, maybe twice a week) plenty of joy.

And once I’ve unpacked the other 17 boxes, no doubt they’ll spark joy too.

This bookcase. Big joy sparker. 4 cases, 8  shelves each, all screwed together. Floor to ceiling. Joy Joy Joy.

That room of books. 

The room beyond it.

The compactus full of books. Joy.

The ATCO outside full of non-fiction.

The shipping container stocked with spares.

Joy to my world, the books are here.

I don’t care if I’ve only ever vaguely dreamt of reading this book or wondered wispily that I would like to one day read this other book again or if I probably never will pick up this third book and read it cover to cover. Even forgotten I own that book. Simply don’t care. They all spark joy in me. Indeed giddy euphoria. Sheer unbridled glee. Manic bliss. Contentment.

30 volumes might do you at any one time, but I’ll stick with my 30,000, thanks all the same.

gareth

*****

Day 16 Factoid – She’s sold a lotta books

copies sold

TL-CMoTU
may have been 
translated 
into 44 languages
&
MK
you may have
sold more than 
14 million copies

— but not to me
you haven’t