Ode to the Book

Since the moment I held you in grasp

You’ve fueled my every aspiration

And although we’ve had our ups and downs

You’ve always sat there patiently

You’ve inspired men to do much evil

And then you convict them of their crimes

And you’ve elevated men to do much good

Yet you find flaws in their perfection

Chopped, Bounded, Marked,

Remnants of the mighty oak, spruce, and maple

You remain ghosts of your former selves

Carrying on the stories of another species’ lost generations

You’ve soared like an eagle

Yet you’ve never left your prison

You’ve dove 20,000 leagues under the sea

But still you remain hidden within your cage

With your pages like leathery dove wings

And you covers beckoning to us like the call of a mocking jay

Your alluring scent of nutmeg and cinnamon

Ensnares us in your nurturing web

From Baum to Dickinson

And from Bradbury to Rowling

You’ve ignited a fire inside of us all

You encourage us to change our world

Yes, you, book are the object of my praise

Like Pandora’s Box you contain our hope

We look to you to lead our future

Forgive us book, we know not what we do