Reading from the bookmobile

April 3, 2011

Poetry is a deal of joy and pain and wonder, with a dash of the dictionary.” Kahil Gibran

One of the writing assignments I do early in the year is to ask students to write about their reading history, an early memory of reading? I often read from Anna Quindlen's small book, How Reading Changed My Life, and other authors that show their love of reading. Sometimes the pieces are personal narratives; sometimes they are poems.

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New books,

new smell,

newsprint,

envelops me in a memory.

Growing up,

I climb metal stairs-clank, clank, clank-

to reach the gifts,

treasures really,

of the bookmobile.

My bag hangs emptied

of the past twelve read--

Lovelace, Kipling, Twain, Baum.

and I search

for the next adventures

that will

add riches to my life,

growing up

in a small town.

The librarian

transports her bounty

two ways:

by van and by

enticing conversation.

Here, here is a lovely tale.

Try this one,

And this!

She pulls two volumes from

her own bag-special

for

me.

I thank her,

not only for the books

gratefully taken,

but for her wisdom.