#134 ALL IN THE PAGES

Mama first taught me when I was young,
Its bright green-blue cover made me look.
Our Bay Street kitchen's where she showed me,
Best thing ever -- told me they call it a book.
Afternoons before naptime, we read together,
Traced out the letters, sounded out the words.
My mother -- god love her -- she knew the secret,
The better the story, the faster I learned.

Down from the shelf, open to see,
The letters, the words -- now breaking free.
Every story astounds, delights and amazes,
Heroes and villains -- all in the pages.

Books in hand by day -- piled on the shelves at night,
On the porch, in the car, at a meal -- close by my side.
Tried once to last a whole day without reading,
Grabbed a book by mid-morning -- not gonna lie.
First year of grad school, the internet showed up,
I jumped on, started clicking -- so much to read!
Years later, first in line to buy an ebook,
I can carry more books than I'll ever need.