The Book Worms
The Book Worms - meaning Summary
Spare the Golden Bindings
This very short, witty poem addresses "maggots" eating through books and asks them to respect the owner's taste by sparing the "golden bindings." On the surface it is a playful injunction about literal bookworms and damaged volumes. More broadly it gently satirizes private property, social status, and the care given to appearances: the speaker accepts inevitable decay but insists that signs of wealth or refinement be left untouched. The tone combines humor and irony to expose human concern for prestige even amid ruin.
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