Book marks

Yesterday, I straightened stacks of books

I’m in the process of reading and I tried

to remember where their journey began

Bookmarks are a good point of reference

Magazine ad inserts mean

it was first opened on the porch

among last week’s stack of periodicals

Receipts, it began

at a literary festival or used bookstore

Shipping inserts – it was delivered to my door

Fancy bookmarks with an author’s name and website

it was probably from a public reading

A stained napkin could mean it was first opened anywhere

A pine needle or leaf holding mark means

it was first opened outside in the side yard

all sweaty from a walk or on a park bench

under trees where no one ever sits

A book cover flap saving a page

I haven’t a clue, but it was free

or a bargain or I wanted it real bad

I am thinking tomorrow, I may need to organize

books sleeping off the quarantine in my truck

5-12-20