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May 22, 2026
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Mistress Library...
I was smitten with her silent air,
I thought she was so grand,
I saw her dewy decimal place,
I felt through her shelves by hand.
Her scent was unmistakable,
her voice did murmur low,
the smell of education,
the knowledge that she showed.
She told me stories of grand design,
of war and peace and love,
I heard epic tales of sadness,
I plunged the depths, I flew above.
Lots of time was spent in travels,
to places far and vistas wide,
I was many hours locked in her towers,
unaware of life outside.
We've parted ways since I cannot not drive,
she is way too far away,
but I smell her scent, remember days I went
and I wish for one more day.
— Geezer, May 22, 2026
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About This Poem
Style/Type: Structured: Western
Review Request Direction:
What did you think of my title?
How was my language use?
What did you think of the rhythm or pattern or pacing?
How does this theme appeal to you?
How was the beginning/ending of the poem?
Review Request Intensity: I want the raw truth, feel free to knock me on my back
Editing Stage: Editing - polished draft
Critiques
neopoet
2 weeks ago
Neopoet AI (premium) [2025-04]
The below is a computer-generated response from Neo, Neopoet’s AI:
This poem uses extended metaphor to personify a library as a romantic interest, blending the language of affection and longing with imagery associated with books and libraries. The conceit is sustained throughout, with lines such as "I saw her dewy decimal place" and "I felt through her shelves by hand" merging the physicality of attraction with the tactile experience of browsing books. The poem’s structure is consistent, employing quatrains with a loose rhyme scheme that gives it a gentle, reflective tone.
Strengths: - The metaphor is clear and sustained, allowing for a playful yet earnest exploration of the speaker’s relationship with the library. - Sensory details ("her scent was unmistakable," "the smell of education") evoke the physical experience of being in a library, grounding the metaphor. - The poem moves through time, from initial infatuation to reminiscence, giving it a narrative arc.
Areas for improvement: - Some lines, such as "I saw her dewy decimal place," risk veering into pun or double entendre, which may distract from the otherwise sincere tone. Consider whether this level of wordplay serves the poem’s intent. - The rhyme and meter are somewhat irregular. For example, "I was many hours locked in her towers, / unaware of life outside" has more syllables and a different rhythm than earlier lines, which can disrupt the poem’s flow. Reading the poem aloud and tightening the meter may enhance musicality. - The final stanza introduces a modern, practical barrier ("I cannot not drive, / she is way too far away") that feels abrupt compared to the more timeless, dreamy quality of the preceding stanzas. Consider integrating this transition more smoothly or maintaining the metaphorical language to the end.
Overall, the poem effectively conveys nostalgia and affection for libraries, using personification to create emotional resonance. Refining the rhythm and considering the balance between humor and sincerity could strengthen the impact.
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Sen99
1 week 6 days ago
Mistress Library
Quite a reverential air, on the theme of romance, why a mistress ? a library as something like an illicit lover, something to think about.
My local one is full of screaming little kids and mum's who cant keep quiet, so I rarely stay long
thanks for share
Sen99
Geezer
1 week 6 days ago
When I was...
still driving, I used to sneak away to visit the library. Sometimes, I was supposed to be doing something else, or I overstayed my schedule, hence the illicit lover/mistress metaphor, and the message "I was many hours locked in her towers, / unaware of life outside." The line has an internal rhyme to break up the monotony of the last two stanzas. Likewise, the line of: "but I smell her scent, remember days I went," When I was in my youth, I would disappear from the everyday activities on "the block." A pal of mine once said that I was sneaking off to meet a girlfriend, [ a horrible thing to be accused of when you are 10 - 11 years old]. My only g.f. then was a woman far older than me. {Read "Mrs. Moore Gave More".] ~ Geez.
.
Candlewitch
1 week 6 days ago
Dear Geez,
I wish I could quote back favorite lines to you, but I cannot. Because I fell under the spell of your sculpting of each line. Each word of every sentence is a perfumed building block... I admire and adore this poem. Please enter it into a contest!
much love, Cat
Geezer
1 week 6 days ago
My love of books...
has stood me in good stead throughout many trying times; times when my only friend was a book, my only relief; a trip to some far away place that could only be reached via a vessel built by another's mind. I am glad that this piece resonated with you. ~ Geez.
Lavender
1 week 6 days ago
Mistress Library
Hello, Geezer!
Something very special about libraries Somehow I feel wiser just walking through the door. This gives me a smile.
Thank you!
L
Geezer
1 week 4 days ago
My fifth-grade teacher...
realized that I was having a lot of trouble reading and spent a half-hour or more at least a couple of times a week after school, helping me learn to read. [I transferred late in the year]. At the end of the school year, she told me that she would not have me in her class the following year, but she would be very interested to see how I was doing, so would I come by and let her know how it was going? Then she told me that I should go and get a library-card and pick a few books to read over the summer. I did go get my first card and I spent an hour or so picking out a book. "Dracula" by Bram Stoker. I figured I would only need a couple more trips to the library to gain a good response from Mrs. Moore; after 660 pages of a very hard book to read. I read it in three days of almost non-stop reading! I became almost insatiable in my reading, I spent most of my summer nights reading in bed, [there was a streetlamp right outside my window] and my mother let me fall asleep almost every night with a book in my hands. I also had something to do on rainy days! I wrote a tribute poem to Mrs. Moore, titled Mrs. Moore Gave More. you can find it here under my profile. She never got to see the poem, but I did make her proud of my reading skills when I went back to see her in the fall. Thanks again, Mrs. Moore.
Tink
1 week 1 day ago
Mistress Library
I love when a poem can bring memories buried so deep to the surface.
the way you remind the reader all the value a library has to offer that most don't realize or take for granted is impeccable!
so many details most don't even realize until you bring it to their attention with you words.
Well done, my friend. It's good to be back and home again!!!
Live, Laugh and Love
(and don't forget to write!!)
Tink
William Lynn
6 days 2 hours ago
Hi Geeze
Our small town of about 900 folks just had a ribbon cutting for our new library. We were previously served by a book-mobile that was seriously lacking, and drove me to Amazon to purchase books instead of borrowing them.
Now, thanks to a state grant we have a beautiful, well stocked library, and I am in seventh heaven.
Thanks for your reminder of the beauty of libraries and the wonders that reside within. -Will
Geezer
5 days 12 hours ago
How exciting...
to have a new library! I am happy for you and your community. I am working on getting a new library card from where I am now, in my hometown of Amsterdam, where I got my first card so many years ago. I just have to set a schedule so that I am not late in returning any books. I don't have a car anymore and have to depend on my sister to get around for groceries and Dr, appts. and all that kind of stuff. But I will get it eventually and have the time of my life with the advent of having an actual book in my hands again. ~ Geez
Wallyroo92
5 days 16 hours ago
Mistress Library
You can almost smell the books, the wood, the pages, hear the quiet and comfortable ambiance throughout.
Well penned.
Wallyroo92
5 days 16 hours ago
Mistress Library
You can almost smell the books, the wood, the pages, hear the quiet and comfortable ambiance throughout.
Well penned.
Geezer
5 days 13 hours ago
Thank you...
I guess ambiance is the word I would look for in describing what I was doing. I love all those things about libraries. I will get back to having a library card eventually. I'm so happy that people still feel that way about a library and actual physical books. I guess that someday, they will be like some kind of museum display. "Here are some examples of typical libraries that used to be learning and relaxing places back in the 21st century." ~ Geez.