Used Bookstore, New Bookstore

Walking through the double glass doors,

Into the bright light of artificial lamps and overhead bulbs,

the smell of modern parchment,

on ink-filled pages.

With the scent of dust and disuse, but come,

there is much to explore.

Old books that have been used and touched

by hands from before,

old stories that need to be read again.

Given because they are no longer needed

or traded in for something that is needed.

Soon the smell of coffee but not here,

coming from another, whose double glass doors slide open.

Bright artificial lights from overhead, and no scent of dust or disuse.

But a new scent of modern parchment,

on ink-filled pages, clean, not yet used, made new.

And as before, there is much to explore.

New books to see, new authors to read, new worlds to explore.