Sunday, January 26, 2025

On Sharing Books

           

                    


                                



                                  


            

                     

1.    Here the vast store of knowledge lies in rows

Noblest musings and thoughts in one place

The mount of Olympus with Muses nine here stays;

In fresh- bound volumes, what a splendid show?

Like caged birds in glass-sheeted cupboards

A whole mass of inexhaustible load

Even to count them many days it needs;

New members added on various themes and creeds.

 

2.       "None should dare to touch them", writ on board

     Like a cautious fire-spitting dragon he guards

Glancing at each treasure with warm regards;

None should come near this accumulated hoard

So many lives we need to go through this vast

Expanse of knowledge, inestimable-- its cost;

With great efforts he amassed this precious treasure

He allowed none; to look at them, his sole pleasure.

 

3.         He multiplied his treasure day by day

No stone left unturned to collect a lot;

A rich repository of knowledge he got

None should touch his wealth he used to say

Like a conglomeration of stars they shine

Inaccessible to others, a diamond mine;

He is reluctant with his rare books to part

To another world, he can’t take them he bought. 

 

4.     He read with interest keen and spent many hours

Reading large books resting in his armchair

Closeting himself from daily works and cares;

He found no time to gaze at hills, brooks and flowers

Burying himself like a mole, much knowledge he got

He found no time to chat and share his thoughts.

His ambition to gather more made him even to dare

Ever he grabbed books-- never dreamt even to share.

 

5.    Sharing books with others means sharing noble thoughts

Ideals sublime, and feelings of noble hearts;

Sharing, a worthy act of helping others a lot;

Influencing others’ attitudes and their acts;

Due to fear of losing his rare gems he did decide

Not to give away any book from his treasure, his pride;

At least he could demand precious books in return

Till he gets back his precious possession.

 

6.    To feel the touch and the smell of printed page

In this digital age, to own books a great

Thing indeed and deserves due praise to state;

Makes one happy and takes him back to bygone age.

When people reveled in reading and writing skills

When people felt proud of their books with thrill

Now scarcely seen such patience in booklovers few

Fondness for books, not seen in this generation new.

     

7.    Let us spend at least some cash to sustain

The noble act of reading books that gives perpetual calm

A due balance between digital and printed forms

A useful spending of time and nourishing the brain.

This precious heritage let us pass on and train

Our next generation to read and knowledge gain;

Books are life-long friends and masters that lead

They are pole stars and voice of noble souls indeed.

                     *******************


26th January 2025                         Somaseshu Gutala

   

 

 

 

 

 

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