Surrounded By Books

Surrounded by books–

The smell of pages and dreams

Drifting through the air;

Breathing quietly,

It feels so serene

To know there’s so many

Hearts

Beating around me.

Hearts filled with courage and grief,

With love and pain–

Eyes that traverse

Time and space,

Just to look

Right back at me.

I can feel no pain here,

Surrounded by books.

They defend me from

War and grief,

And they always

Soothe me

Even as they

Isolate me.

I am happiest here,

In silence and love.

Here, there are people.

Old friends, and new friends–

The children of writers

And daydreamers.