The book of my enemy has been remaindered
And I am pleased.
In vast quantities it has been remaindered.
Like a van-load of counterfeit that has been seized
And sits in piles in a police warehouse,
My enemy’s much-praised effort sits in piles
In the kind of bookshop where remaindering occurs.
Great, square stacks of rejected books and, between them, aisles
One passes down reflecting on life’s vanities,
Pausing to remember all those thoughtful reviews
Lavished to no avail upon one’s enemy’s book –
For behold, here is that book
Among these ranks and banks of duds,
These ponderous and seemingly irreducible cairns
Of complete stiffs.

Diverted Traffic has made it past 50! We plan to keep sending our anti-news newsletter – which brings a piece from our archive in front of the paywall for 24 hours, chosen for its compulsive, immersive and escapist qualities, and also for a complete absence of references to plague, pandemics or quarantine – five times a week or so, until some semblance of normality is restored. But let us know if you think we should slow down as lockdowns start to be lifted, and please continue to send thoughts and any suggestions of pieces you would like to see to: skinchinsmith@lrb.co.uk