Procrastadabbler

As I was reading a few poems this morning, it came to me that poems and literature are to be savored not studied. When I read a poem, I roll it around in my mouth like a lovely wine and appreciate that subtle nuances that make up its many layers. The same with the novel I’m reading. It’s not a book to rush through in search of the plot – the what’s going to happen next. Instead, as I read it, I find myself enjoying the moments and ideas the author constructs: little bursts of flavor.

There are things that can and should be read quickly. There are texts that I push through eagerly, anxious to find out what’s next. And there are those I move through methodically and laboriously pulling out the points that help me think about concepts imporant to me. These have their place. And then there are those texts that lead me to exist in the moment and to enjoy the flavor of the words, the images, the sounds. I need them all.