The library’s a sorry sight, in Dew Street by the church.

It stands neglected, struck by blight, left sadly in the lurch.

Purpose-built, with every boon, a mere four decades back, Its dread demise has come too soon, it’s truly had the sack.

For 80 decades now, the church has withstood time and weather, Compared, the library’s but a child as they stand close together.

Designwise it has everything a library could ever need, For storage and display of tomes, it is the very best of homes, The architect produced fine plans for garaging the mobile vans, And study on the reference floor, with microfilms and so much more.

Disabled access with a lift, for students and readers, what a gift.

And its round gallery had appeal for those with keen artistic zeal, With exhibitions, talks, committees, the envy of much larger cities.

Unless there’s been extreme neglect, no-one could possibly expect Deterioration on a scale to cause this edifice to fail.

The ‘experts’ said that the flat roof was leaking, but there was no proof, That this could not be rectified at modest cost if they had tried.

It certainly will cost much more to knock the building to the floor, Leaving ten thousand tons of rubble and going to further costly trouble To build again on the Market site, on land enclosed so very tight, And really claustrophic that, there’s scarcely room to swing a cat.

The Library’s not the final tale of buildings which are doomed to fail.

Also abandoned and rapidly going is the Shire Hall, built by William Owen, and Foley House, designed by Nash, already ruined by pebbledash.

In its forecourt the weeds are tall, you hardly see the house at all.

They both look so sad and unkempt we cannot bear to see them empty.

We plead with those now at the helm to bring them back to the public realm.

Rouse them from Rip Van Winkle trance and give the citizens a chance, To once more visit and peruse them, and again access and use them.

Council, don’t let history’s page, record neglect of heritage.

It won’t reflect so well I reckon, to be compared with towns like Brecon, Carmarthen, Cardigan and Presteigne, whose Guild Hall heritage is pristine.

Act with honour and distinction – save our built heritage from extinction!

D.O.R (name and address supplied)