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I hope you enjoy this poem I wrote last night. Books help me heal and escape pain; I hope they help you, too.

Books saved me.
They drew me in,
their paper arms enfolding me,
their words wrapping around me,
absorbing my pain,
transporting me to other places,
other worlds,
where I could forget
just for a little while
the darkness that filled me,
the pain my lungs drew in and out.
Books allowed me to breathe.

Books saved me.
They showed me people who cared
when no one in my life did.
Showed me the tender side of people,
moments of kindness and empathy
when all I knew was cruelty.
Books allowed me to believe in the good in people.
They showed me, too, secret agony and grief
when I was so wracked in pain
I wanted to die.
Books whispered “You are not alone.
You will survive.”

Books saved me.
They gave me precious minutes, hours,
time elongated,
escape from the torture and abuse
I was living. They allowed me to dream,
to hope, to see beyond my dark world.
Hope that bolstered my soul
with paper and ink and words that swirled inside me
making me stronger, more whole,
feeding me when nothing else did.
I’m not sure I could have survived
if I hadn’t had books.
Books saved me.
I hope they’ll save you, too.

© Cheryl Rainfield, July 8, 2014.

Photo: Pomfret Library @ Flickr

Books are one of the best tonics I know
for most anything that ails you.
They uplift your spirits,
absorb your attention,
pull you away from your worries,
and demand that you be present.

They comfort and soothe,
entertain and delight,
and spark your emotions
while speaking to your mind.
They are truly a wonder
that the uninitiated has no concept of.

Find the right book
and you’ve found wings for an hour,
a day.
A lifetime.

I’m still surprised
the doctors haven’t caught on
and learned to prescribe fiction
for patients.

Cheryl Rainfield, all rights reserved.
June 06, 2008

Check out more poems on the web for Poetry Friday this week.

Books
bring springtime into my heart
when it feels like winter,
show me doors when
it feels like there are only walls,
and surprise me into laughter
that I didn’t know was hidden
inside my skin.
Books save me
again and again.

Cheryl Rainfield, all rights reserved.
March 27, 2008

Poetry Friday is hosted this week by Cuentesitos.

photo: jyhawkgrl13 @ Flickr

Some of
my earliest friends
lived in books,
reaching out their hands for me,
tugging me deep inside the pages,
encouraging me to laugh and cry,
delight and hope,
bringing me comfort,
showing me the fabrics of the world, sides of people
that I hadn’t yet seen,
helping me believe in the power of goodness, of love and hope.
they remain my friends still.




Cheryl Rainfield, all rights reserved.
Feb 20, 2008

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE!
By
Gregory K.

It’s creamy and dreamy – a chocolaty treat.
Like rich, whipped-up pudding that’s so fun to eat.
Just give me a bowl and I know that you’ll find...
Only a moussetache will be left behind!



(I'm posting an original poem-a-day through April in celebration of National Poetry Month. Links to this and other poems here on GottaBook (and there are lots of others, because poetry is NOT just for April) are collected over on the right of the blog under the headline "The Poems".)