Books

 


Books - Kieran Gonsalves (c) 2025

Books opened up unseen worlds, new frontiers and realms
Timeless tales of seemingly flawed people at the helm
No need for a passport or a ticket, if only you had a book
Travel across space and time ... a few pages was all it took
Shakespeare hilariously twisted out of shape by Armour
"Elementary", said Holmes as he confronted her paramour
Westerns by Louis L'Amour, Zane Grey and their ilk
Unshaven, roughshod heroes and dainty women in silk
The lone gunslinger on his bronco enters a sleepy town
Skeletons in the closet soon turn everything upside down
National Geographic put the whole wide world in your palm
Potter and The Goblet of Fire - the storm before the calm
Not time to read the classics, Reader's Digest had it all
Carefully curated stories for everyone, both big and small
'All Creatures, Great and Small' and 'The Lord of the Rings'
These classics, my friends, are some of my favourite things


Footnote: This artwork is inspired by my memorable childhood summers spent in the attic of Villa Maria, snugly ensconced with a book that opened up my mind and imagination to wonderous fantasies, improbable characters and enchanting creatures. 

Comments

Anonymous said…
YES!!!!!
BOOKS are my best friends 👏🙏🏻👏🙏🏻 (A dear friend of a very dear friend)
May 30, 2025 at 9:27 AM
Kieran said…
See I knew we had more than one friend in common… 😁 - Kieran
May 30, 2025 at 9:27 AM
Anonymous said…
O yes. The joy of curling up with a book.. add PG Wodehouse to the list! (A dear friend on WhatsApp)
May 30, 2025 at 9:28 AM
Kieran said…
Indeed. His Wooster and Jeeves are timeless - genius that inspired the likes of Seinfeld - Kieran
May 30, 2025 at 9:29 AM
Anonymous said…
Brilliant poem, a journey I can relate too immediately, for it was just like mine... (An artistic friend on WhatsApp)
May 30, 2025 at 9:30 AM
Kieran said…
True, Ajay. And it shows up in spades in your beautifully articulated posts. You are a master at your craft - Kieran
May 30, 2025 at 9:36 AM
Anonymous said…
The candle and teacup also give me pleasant memories. Reminds me of the good old days we had with these books, whether they were our text books, story books, novels, anything. That was the only indoor source of entertainment... Am I right ?? (A classmate on WhatsApp)
May 30, 2025 at 9:37 AM
Kieran said…
Absolutely right, Joe. The best entertainment unlike the addiction to social media of present times. So glad we had books 📚 - Kieran
May 30, 2025 at 9:38 AM
Anonymous said…
I used to look forward to weekends, esp during the rainy seasons. I could snuggle into bed and read the novels, then sleep, get up for tea, then again snuggle into bed and start reading. It was a heavenly feeling. We won't get it now, as the TV, mobiles and all media has spoiled the fun. In those days it was only books and radio...so our senses were made use of. Now it's all overloading, with little good and plenty of bad. (Reply to above comment on WhatsApp)
May 30, 2025 at 9:38 AM
Kieran said…
Well said, Joe. Well said
May 30, 2025 at 9:39 AM
Anonymous said…
No Enid Blyton, Billy Bunter, Asterix, Tintin? Your reading was much more esoteric than mine. LOL!!! (A good friend on WhatsApp)
May 30, 2025 at 9:39 AM
Kieran said…
Ha ha. Those too. Brings to mind an anecdote. Eve of my board exams. My uncle and cousin drop in enroute from Calcutta to Goa by road. He has a stash of Asterix comics from Europe - I spent the whole evening in stitches and aced the paper the next day - Kieran
May 30, 2025 at 9:40 AM
Anonymous said…
I heard the Commencement at Harvard by one of their Professors, the famous author Abraham Vargese who said it is important to read fiction or the mind atrophies! ( A very thoughtful friend on WhatsApp)
May 30, 2025 at 9:42 AM
Kieran said…
Very true. Fiction pushes past limitations of our bodies and minds - Kieran
May 30, 2025 at 9:43 AM
Anonymous said…
I do read fiction . I joined the retired teachers non fiction book club.
My next book is Doppelgänger by Naomi Klien (Reply to above comment on WhatsApp)
May 30, 2025 at 9:44 AM
Kieran said…
Nice. I saw it in the library but haven’t read omany of her works- Kieran
May 30, 2025 at 9:45 AM
Anonymous said…
Lovely compilation! I love that light brown with black, book spine. Authentic! My mum has a similar cover for her textbook. (A dear friend on WhatsApp)
May 30, 2025 at 10:39 AM
Kieran said…
Thanks. Trying to simulate a leather bound tome - Kieran
May 30, 2025 at 10:39 AM
Anonymous said…
The candle reminds me of Silas Marner counting his wherewithal! 😂😂😂 (A friend on WhatsApp)
May 30, 2025 at 10:40 AM
Kieran said…
What in Dicken’s name … that’s hilarious… 😂 Kieran
May 30, 2025 at 10:40 AM
Anonymous said…
Is that hot chocolate or Java? I hope it is the former! (A friend on WhatsApp)
May 30, 2025 at 10:42 AM
Kieran said…
Hot chocolate from my childhood memories - Kieran
May 30, 2025 at 10:42 AM
Anonymous said…
Loved the artwork and poem! You are truly gifted and a gift yourself, Kieran.
I’m thankful to have you as my friend.
(A very good friend on WhatsApp)
May 30, 2025 at 10:43 AM
Kieran said…
Ditto, dearest Carol. You are such an inspiration for me. Have a blessed day - Kieran
May 30, 2025 at 10:43 AM
Anonymous said…
So true! Books open up so many vistas (A dear friend on WhatsApp, who coauthored a book on Walks around Panaji, Goa’)
May 30, 2025 at 11:27 AM
Kieran said…
So very true - and by the way you are an author too. So proud of you!! -Kieran
May 30, 2025 at 11:29 AM
Anonymous said…
This is a wonderful poem that brought back memories of my own childhood love for books. The artwork is also beautifully done, capturing the essence of getting lost in a good story.still enjoy reading. - Usha Jain on the Facebook group called Memories of Poona
May 30, 2025 at 11:39 AM
Kieran said…
Usha Jain- so glad you liked it. This is my composition where I tried to replicate some of my literary favorites. Many still grace the bookshelves in our home. The August 1967 National Geographic covered all those topics - I know because I pulled it off the shelf - Kieran
May 30, 2025 at 11:40 AM
Anonymous said…
Yes, books were very good friends in those days. I too always enjoyed reading, but now it is difficult to read and that too with full concentration. - Sumeeta Jogdand on the Facebook group called Memories of Poona
May 30, 2025 at 11:40 AM
Kieran said…
Sumeeta Jogdand- same here. I guess for everything there is rhyme and a reason, and a time and a season.
But the voracious reading of youth was an invaluable part of character formation- Kieran
May 30, 2025 at 11:40 AM
Anonymous said…
Reading how we enjoyed it. It’s quite difficult to read a lot nowadays without one’s attention wandering. A lot of people pose with books through the ages pretending to be great readers 😃. - Preeti Noronha on the Facebook group called Memories of Poona
May 30, 2025 at 11:41 AM
Kieran said…
Preeti Noronha- sad but true. Today we live in an age of excesses - kids have so many entertainment (read distracting) options. Sadly social media provides a quick empty dopamine jolt whereas books require a stillness of mind and quiet time.
Luckily our kids grew up loving to read before the blight of mobile phones - Kieran
May 30, 2025 at 11:41 AM
Anonymous said…
I completely feel your vibe with books, Kieran...I attribute my "education" to all the books I read, and they were on diverse subjects but I learned so much of history, geography, philosophy and all the social sciences which no single school education program can cope with...I give thanks to my dear father who dedicated a portion of his hard-earned salary on books, there being no British Council Libraries in those days...two Christmases in a row I received hefty tomes of the Larousse Encyclopaedia of History (parts 1 & 2) and I read them from cover to cover... (A dear cousin on WhatsApp)
May 30, 2025 at 6:09 PM
Kieran said…
Yes, I heard so many great stories of T Freddie from my grandmother Emily and my mother Yvette. What a thoughtful astute investment he made in building a library at home for his children. A man ahead of his times - Kieran
May 30, 2025 at 6:10 PM
Anonymous said…
I feel the same way. Books were my friends, teachers and stimulating companions. Poona Club Library, Manneys, school Library, British Council Library, and my own collection of books at home. Time with them was treasured! - Zareen Karani Araoz on the Facebook Group, ‘Memories of Poona’
May 30, 2025 at 6:16 PM
Kieran said…
Zareen Karani Araoz- I can totally relate to this. Apart from our own collection of books carefully selected over decades, my sources for books were St Vincent’s School library, Loyola School library (where my mother taught), Albert Edward Library on East Street, Stephen Nivas Youth Center library opposite Charbaudi Police Station in Camp, British Council Library in City, and innumerable kiosks running summer book loaners in the Bhopla Chowk area of Camp. - Kieran
May 30, 2025 at 6:16 PM
Anonymous said…
Very nostalgic. Most of us who are in our 70s/ nearing 80,have indulged in wandering their imagination through books,I remember there was not a book which I had not read in my school library,we would await the library hours During the holidays apart from playing under the sun reading was the prime pastime. Very nostalgic,indeed. ~ Sushil Kapur on the Facebook Group, 'Memories of Poona'
May 30, 2025 at 8:29 PM
Kieran said…
Sushil Kapur- yes indeed. There was a manual checkout card in each book, where the borrower's name was written along with the checkout and check-in dates. Nostalgia - Kieran Gonsalves
May 30, 2025 at 8:30 PM
Anonymous said…
Was Villa Maria your home in Pune? (A friend on WhatsApp)
May 30, 2025 at 11:02 PM
Kieran said…
Yes it was. I blogged about it

https://memoriesofpoona.blogspot.com/2023/07/villa-maria.html?m=1

- Kieran
May 30, 2025 at 11:03 PM
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