Gathered in

I said books were gathering and gathered they are (and still arriving)

How did they get here? How did they know where to come?

Did they know they would find a welcome here?

- the beauty of their covers admired
- the quality of their paper appreciated
- the potential of their words recognised.

I never really mean to allow them all in but one by one, or two by two, they seem to appear.

And look how they have lined themselves up (against my  Chris Rea CD collection - shows they have good taste as well!)

A pile of joy to come - three standing proud as they know they have been read and loved - the rest just waiting. 

9/13 of the Booker 2025 Longlist (and it seems to be a good year!)