A book, too, can be a star, explosive material, capable of stirring up fresh life endlessly, a living fire to lighten the darkness, leading out into the expanding universe.”
—Madeleine L’Engle
A study out of York University reported that people who often read fiction appear to be better able to understand others, empathize with them and view the world from their perspective. This connection persisted even after the researchers factored in the possibility that more empathetic people might choose to read more novels. A similar study found the same result in children: the more stories they had read to them, the sharper their “theory of mind, ” or mental model of other people’s intentions.
In the words of journalist Annie Murphy Paul, “Deep reading—as opposed to the often superficial reading we do on the Web—is an endangered practice, one we should take steps to preserve as we would a historic building or a significant work of art. The disappearance of deep reading would imperil the intellectual development of generations growing up online, as well as the perpetuation of a critical part of our culture: the novels, poems, and other kinds of literature that can be appreciated only by readers whose brains, quite literally, have been trained to apprehend them.”
Try It
Essayist Susan Sontag once noted, “Literature is freedom.” How have books shaped you? What is the importance of reading in your life? Who would you be if not for books? Dig deep and write a poem reflecting on these questions.
Click to get 5-Prompt Mini-Series
Featured Poem
From last week’s poetry prompt, here is a poem we enjoyed from Donna:
His Wink was His Bond –
“I’ll show you this trick
on the next rainy Tuesday”
He winked
and shuffled again.
The card trick has faded
but fifty years later
I still see a wink
and the rain.
Photo by Sam Greenhalgh. Creative Commons via Flickr.
Browse more writing prompts
Browse poetry teaching resources
How to Write a Poem uses images like the buzz, the switch, the wave—from the Billy Collins poem “Introduction to Poetry”—to guide writers into new ways of writing poems. Excellent teaching tool. Anthology and prompts included.
“How to Write a Poem is a classroom must-have.”
—Callie Feyen, English Teacher, Maryland
Donna says
Thank you for featuring my poem. It was fun remembering my grandfather that way.
Bethany R. says
What a charming poem, Donna. Love this and the prompt!
Donna Falcone says
Thanks, Bethany! I was so excited when it finally rained on a Tuesday! I often wondered if he was, too, or if he thought he’d crafted the perfect out! LOL!
Sandra Heska King says
“I still see the wink… and the rain.” Love this poem.
Donna Falcone says
Thank you, Sandra!
Sandra Heska King says
On the Fly Leaf
It may have started with the Book-of-the-Month Club
Packages arrived monthly and my great-grandmother
wrote her name on the flyleaf
in cursive
Mary C. Dummer, 195__
I’d slide into a lawn chair out by the deer mound
in front of our motel
or in the rowboat, or on my swing,
or in my fern fort.
I traveled all over the world
hung out with all kinds of people
even when there were none around.
Grandma died when I was 10
but I still have some of her books
with her name written on the flyleaf
in cursive
Mary C. Dummer, 195___
And now packages continue to arrive
My daughter thinks I need an intervention
She says a weekly package, or “every other day”
is not a mild addiction.
It’s a problem, she says.
But every page is a page to the past
a page to my grandmother
and I write my name on the fly leaf
in cursive.
Donna Falcone says
Oh yes…. this is so sweet and tender a remembrance of your grandma. xo j
Ha ha… an intervention! What might that be like, I wonder? 😉
(and another reason I think cursive should still be taught in schools 😉 )
Sandra Heska King says
I think cursive should be taught, too. Soon it will be an art activity–like calligraphy.
I still miss grandma. She always had that hard candy with the cream centers. And she loved limburger cheese. Phew!!!
Thanks.
Donna says
Soooo….. would those cream filled candies be minty fresh ?
Sandra Heska King says
I don’t remember minty. I just remember creamy. And all different shapes and colors… 🙂
Bethany says
Lovely memories tied together here on a fly leaf, Sandra. 😉 I love the image of you as a little girl in your “fern fort.”
P.S. I’m definitely teaching my kids how to read cursive. 😉
Sandra Heska King says
I’d trample down some ferns in the woods behind our house, and sit in there. They were a lot taller then than they are now. 😉
Heather Eure says
An endearing poem, Sandra. Thanks so much for sharing your grandmother with us.
Andrew H says
I really liked the featured poem.
When death seems ever present, and the moon
Gives out but half its nightly shine
Then I will sing some half forgotten tune
Enchanting in its melody and rhyme.
Sweet words to go with bitter heart!
The book that’s bound can also bind
The soul of he who reads of it.
Ah, but to go without is to be blind!
To never see the towers made of gold,
Or breathe the heady scent of honey
Found in some delighting insect’s bower –
To never smell the midnight blooming flower
Or walk the sands of time, never to look
At what was past. Steadfast, instead, to go
Where one may look upon the pages of the book
That is one’s life, and see what you already know
Writ large as life itself. And then, to see the close
Of your own tome, knowing it for your tomb
But still to laugh, and read the lines, escaping
Not just your own drab space of chair and room.
And then, before the ending comes
To lift brave head and sing that tune
Once sung when death seemed present
And the shine was missing from the moon.
Heather Eure says
Lovely, Andrew. A wonderful poem with a perfect ending.
Donna Falcone says
Thank you, Andrew.
And this poem you have written… it is really wonderful! I love the rhyme, too. It was a fun one to read aloud!
This is my favorite part…
Sweet words to go with bitter heart!
The book that’s bound can also bind
The soul of he who reads of it.
Ah, but to go without is to be blind!
Katie says
I so enjoy everyone’s poems and comments here.
Was inspired to write a poem to honor my mother (now 91) who instilled in her five children a love of reading. We all still read!
Every two weeks during summer break from school she diligently took us to the library and then carved out a quiet hour during the afternoons for us to read our picks.
This is just a beginning, but can’t wait to share:
Trip to the NHCPL
Marbled columns
steps and floors
wrought iron stairs
wooden door –
Shelves and shelves
line the walls
Books and books –
Adventure calls!
Bethany R. says
Thank you so much for sharing this with the Tweetspeak Poetry community, Katie! 🙂 What a lovely tribute to your mom. Love the rhythm and pacing. 🙂
Katie says
Thank you, Bethany:)
These prompts are fun!
Wrote some more this evening:
Horizons broaden
with each borrow.
Places to explore,
heroes to follow.
Life yearnings,
page turners beckon.
Building character
teaching lessons.
Take to wing,
sky’s the limit.
Reach and fly
soar and win it!
Katie says
Just thought of a tweak –
Life-time yearnings,
Page turners beckon.
Sometimes it helps to sleep on it:)
Donna Falcone says
Ooooo I like it! 😉
thanks for sharing!