Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Shakespeare and Co. tearoom, a Story


Was it in my imagination or a dream?
Upon visiting the Shakespeare and Co. bookstore some years ago
I heard there was a tearoom in the store.
I was told to walk up the stairs and at the top I would find it.
Always in the search of a new tearoom I climbed the stairs.
Up I went, I can't remember how many steps or flights.
As I got closer to the top, the stairs narrowed and it became darker.
Are they right?  A tearoom at the top?
There was no one else around, yet onward I climbed.
At the top there were two doors, but only one said ENTER.
Slowly I opened the door.
It was rather dark inside.
Not sure this was a tearoom I stood in the doorway.
A dim light shown behind me, but as my eyes adjusted
I could see a group of people sitting on the floor in a circle in the dim room.
They must have been sipping tea, I am most sure of that.
They were sharing poetry in the darkness.
It spoke to me of another era,
a bohemian time
where poetry and tea were the tearoom
at the top of the stairs of a bookstore in Paris long ago. 
They bid me enter, but in my timidity I refused.
Now upon remembrance of this time so many years ago,
I could only wish I had taken the next step and entered.
It is a distant memory and one I can dream of yet today,
for poetry and tea would delight my soul in a dark
and dingy tearoom at the top of the stairs.

I didn't take any pictures,
so made an attempt to pull out the watercolors
and paint the stairs with it's hodge podge of books
that led to the tearoom at the top of the stairs.

A memory for sure, but could it have been a dream?

Quote on the wall at the bookstore:
"Be Not Inhospitable to Strangers Lest they be Angels in Disguise."

Linking to:  http://blog.bernideens.com/

9 comments:

Michele M./ Finch Rest said...

Oh, Marilyn - this is absolutely delightful post!

And I absolutely ADORE your watercolor.

Joy said...

If it was a dream, it was a pleasant one!

Laura Morrigan said...

Wow! Very atmospheric! And now you have me wondering if this exists!

Laurie said...

Marilyn, I wonder what would have happened if you went in, a wonderful experience or a dark one? Pondering, I don't know if I would have gone in either!

Lorrie said...

What a lovely and rich memory, brought to us with your words and watercolour sketch.

Linda P said...

Opportunities are sometimes missed for further exploration during our travels in times past, but with no regrets as our lives are so full of good moments to treasure. Thankfully we have the capacity to revisit experiences in our minds and recreate what we remember in words and pictures. Thank you for sharing this story which is illustrated so beautifully and I love the quote on the wall of the bookstore. Have a lovely day my friend.

Jeanie said...

I love your watercolor. I don't remember anything about a tea room but then I never asked. It well could be -- and if it was a dream, what a wonder!

Bernideen said...

A love verse Marilyn:

From the original Hebrew 13:2
Be not forgetful to entertain strangers:for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

Tracy said...

Dream or no, this was pure DELIGHT, Marilyn! And your watercolor to go with the story is so charming. I like to think it was real... But maybe now in dreams you can go back and finish the story. :) ((HUGS))