The Right Book …

This book is too BIG - or am I too small?
The words all jumble, stumble and fall
Letters they slide, spaces are squashed,
words all collide – the meaning is lost.
The sense sails away like a ship on the sea
It’s too hard, too long, too difficult for me!
Despondent, dispirited, despairing, down-hearted
I chose this book - I wish I’d not started.
I open the cover, to a sigh from the spine
I’ll sit here and look, because I have time
I’ll try - one more go – to unravel the text
I’ll try the first word and perhaps the next?
Then …
Finally open – in its fabulous beauty,
Jungles and castles and soldiers on duty.
Mountains, hunters, jewel thieving high jinx,
Three pigs and a wolf, the pyramids and sphinx.
A sword in the stone, and glossy black horses,
Hunger games or feasts of eight courses.
Roof-topping romps through Paris at night
Wolf-brothers hunted and forced into flight
Odysseus’ journey and Penelope’s fears,
A Psammead granting his first wishes in years.
Children of stardust, explorers like Raleigh,
Himalayan ranges and comets named Halley.
Wrinkles in time, distant planets and space
How to bake biscuits, play chess or make lace
Enduring friendships and a boy wanting more,
Journeys and quests and will your team score?
Hot treasure islands and Smaug in a cave -
guarding his wealth from a Hobbit who’s brave.
Little houses being built on wide open prairies,
Horrible histories, goblins and fairies.
Swishing through grass on a bear hunt that’s scary
A cockle-shell garden growing flowers, contrary
A Tiger to tea, Is the moon made of cheese?
Holidays with five famous friends, just like these.
Ballet shoes and football boots,
Where do we come from? Where are our roots?
Hefalumps and Woozles, Piglet and Pooh
Beeju arriving, out of the blue.
Lost and found and bears at a station
Now I’m simply getting impatient -
So many books – too little time
Time to start reading, forget this old rhyme.
Any book opens new worlds to me
My choice of book was perfect you see!