No Disposals

Michael O'Leary

Sonnet of the Book thieves

The National Library tried to slip this one through on the quiet
Telling the Friends of the Libraries, with a certain mirth
The belief that books in the digital age are of little worth
In such a convincing manner that they would buy it

They'd ‘forgotten’ to check the Library books properly
Because of toxic policies towards printed matter
A large number of books, 640,000, lay in tatters
The result is to abandon them from the Library

A recent film remembers well those who destroy books
When a young woman rescued books from a Nazi bonfire
A civilization depends on its attitude to the written word

Thus, beware of thieving, conniving, bureaucratic crooks
Who leave the wealth of knowledge and wisdom in their mire
Of ignorance and greed which is both withered and absurd