In the Children's Room, Public Library
The little Japanese boy comes in ahead
of his mother,
moves toward the playhouse,
throwing tiny fierce karate chops.
A golden-haired girl with blue-moon eyes
looks up, says in a lisping soft voice,
Um ... do you have any books about
princesses?
And Fred comes in,
a tiny dark braid in back of his short hair.
His young sweaty body steams.
He's ridden here alone
on his bike, which
hopefully will still be down on the street
when he leaves.
He goes for the computer,
before placing at least 15 books in
his backpack.
Then slowly the children circle
the storyteller
who sits on the floor now,
ready to bring words to life.
And soon
in the back of the room
something stirs
on the shelves,
as spirits silently climb down from
the book stacks.
Curious George tumbles and leaps over
chairs and tables -
Merlin suddenly appears,
his robe of stars shining -
Mother Hubbard comes charging out,
her face red with work and worry.
Even the butterflies and bees, sheep
and unicorn
slip out of their hardcovers,
roam the room freely.
