A Love To Read

   A LOVE TO READ

Tommy McBrighter loved books

Since he first started reading at three

He could lose himself in the stories

The one place he really felt free

Tommy’s books were his entertainment

Ever since the TV’d been hocked

At night he’d read under the covers

At night he would keep his door locked

His mom had a lot of “boyfriends”

“It’d be best you stay out of the way.”

So he’d hide in the books he was reading

Until the stranger would go away

****

Margaret Baxter once worked in the library

Unfailingly…every day

She vowed to continue her life’s work

Though she had long ago passed away

She had done the job thirty years living

But she just couldn’t let it go

The library was like a child to her

She had nurtured and watched it grow

If not for a stroke of misfortune

When a rickety bookshelf collapsed

She would still be stamping due dates

Now her library card long been lapsed

She was fond of the children’s section

Where she helped generations to read

She was proud but long since stopped counting

Children she’d helped to succeed

****

Tommy McBrighter watched his mom drive away

Standing outside the library door

It wasn’t the first time she’d dropped him here

He knew there would be many more

He liked the brass knobs on the entrance

He liked the near silence within

He liked the tall shelves full of books

But he didn’t know where to begin

 Tommy spent his summer break wandering

Exploring from the first to last shelf

Each noon he found a soft chair

And ate a bag lunch by himself

Sometimes his mom found him sleeping

Scolded him for not waiting outside

“I have appointments to keep!”

On her phone the entire car ride

****

Tommy found himself standing

In the library’s entrance hall

He couldn’t remember mom dropping him

He couldn’t remember at all

So he went in the library by habit

But was startled by the sound that he heard

He could swear he heard children laughing

So he followed without saying a word

The laughter came from a stairwell

He had never noticed before

This library has a basement?

You mean there’s a whole other floor?!

His curiosity got the best of him

He followed the stairs going down

He wasn’t prepared for what’s down there

He couldn’t believe what he’d found

****

The rest of the library was a bit plain

But this basement was colorfully bright

There were kid size chairs, tables, and desks

An aquarium with an undersea light!

There were puzzles, games, a rug on the floor

That looked perfect for taking a nap

There were rows of records, CD’s and cassettes

Headphones displayed on a rack

Colorful posters hung on the wall

Stuffed animals sat on the floor

Across the room there was a paint center

Any young artist would adore

Along the far wall into every free space

Stuffed into crannies and nooks

Was to Tommy the most wondrous sight

Row after row of just books!

****

 The kids were all laughing and playing

Some kids were sprawled out on the rug

There was a kind looking lady at the desk

The kind that looked like she’d give you a hug

Tommy didn’t make eye contact

Deep down he was kind of shy

Even nervous about the kids around him

He decided to give it a try

He started down an aisle to look at the books

To see what adventures he’d find

Just by a glance he could see

They had adventures of every kind

As he turned round the row

To examine more books

She stood at the end of the aisle

It was the lady with the kindly smile

****

Tommy didn’t enter unnoticed

Margaret spotted him right away

She saw his eyes widen with wonder

When he started walking her way

Could this one be interested in reading?

Will he be bold and shake off a book’s dust?

Will he read a book from my section?

Oh please, oh please. He must!

She stood in the aisle and waited

For Tommy to come her way

Today her library got a new child

That made it a special day

Oh the wonders she’d share with him

All the books that they would read

“I’ll keep him here right with me

We’ll fulfill his every need

****

He might just grab “The Giving Tree”

“Stop there! That one is “Black Beauty”

Please read the tales of “Arabian Nights”

And oh the stories of King Arthur’s fights

Find out “Where the Wild Things Are”

Visit the “Little Prince” he can’t be far

Shake “Charlotte’s Web”

Like “Wind in the Willows”

Grab the “Velveteen Rabbit”

And curl up with some pillows

Just pick out a book and get yourself started

You and the habit will never be parted!”

She saw that the boy

Didn’t know what to do

No wonder imagining

What he had been through

****

Showing impatience despite her role

Margaret reached up and knocked down a book

The boy bravely bent down and picked it up

He then cast the title a look

“Treasure Island” read the young boy

Giving the pages a flip

Margaret smiled to herself a gratified smile

As he gasped at the sight of the ship

She could see the book would be a good start

There are so many more to read

She knew she could help this boy follow his heart

Whatever he wanted to be

She could see his excitement as he boarded that ship

And hoisted the flag above

He was off to sail the seven seas

My newest angel to love

The Beginning

We can nurture the love of reading

In oh so many ways

Putting on a puppet show

Or acting out a play

It's time that we start reading

And get the kids involved

Before we look up and notice

That reading has evolved

Want to set your kids free?

Take them to the LI-BRAR-Y!