Tsundoku*

 The only thing that you absolutely have to know, is the location of the library

 -Albert Einstein

 By Pravat Kumar Padhy

 During my college days, I used to make a point to have a quick glance at the literature section. Since then, it has been always my habit to visit the nearby library during my stay on official tours. I enquire with my colleagues or from the help desk of the hotels about the nearby location. On the weekend, I make a breezy walk holding my notebook and note down the new arrivals and golden lines of the poems of the olden days.

 

Recently I came across an interesting article. Nassim Nicholas Taleb,

The New York Times bestseller author, believes the unread

books in our library heighten us of all that we

don't know. He adds “Indeed, the more you

know, the larger the rows of unread

books. Let us call this collection

of unread books

an antilibrary.”

 

I pile up a deep glance at my personal collections and feel there are so many layers of wisdom in between ‘sound and silence’.

in early twilight

as if the stars descend

on the jasmine tree

how wonderful to add

one more from mine

Author’s Notes: 

1. Antilibrary – An unread pile of books that one intends to read.

2. Reference to the article on Tsundoku:   https://bigthink.com/neuropsych/do-i-own-too-many-books/

Contemporary Haibun Online, Issue 19.3, 2023 (Ed. Tish Davis)

https://contemporaryhaibunonline.com/cho19-3-table-of-contents/pravat-kumar-padhy-tsundoku/