Once upon a glimmer
of desire and hope,
the girl
opened a book
and she was lost
in the pages,
in the story,
she found
she was not alone
and there were other
worlds, and truth–
it was out there–
but also, within her.
For dVerse, Lillian has asked us to write a poem beginning with “Once upon a ____, ” using any word except for the word “time.”
She was a bright little girl 🙂
She was! 🙂
🙂
A beautiful ode to the power of books.
Thank you very much!
I’ve always said, and perhaps it’s an adage, “if you like to read, you will never be alone.”
Good post for the prompt!
Thank you, Lillian. You can see I did not ponder long. It just came to me. And it’s a quadrille. 🙂
That poem could have stopped after the first four lines and been perfect as well. Thanks for writing
Thank you very much!
I think that finding the glimmer inside books is what I wish every girl (and boy) to find.
Thank you. Yes, I agree.
For me first came reading, then came movies; now a blessed mix of both keeps stoking creativity, and turning my focus off the news.
Thank you, Glenn. I love reading, movies, and theater, too. 🙂
Oh my…I loved this, Merril!
Thank you very much, Jill!
Oh, lovely. I like her.
Thank you, Sarah. I do, too. 🙂
This captures well the experience of getting lost in a book.
Thank you very much!
that glimmer will always remain her first and everlasting love. I so connected with this poem Merril. reading has taken me to places of wonder, delight and also healing. i teach under privileged kids and I am so humbled when i see what reading does for them. opens up so many possibilities. a simple once upon but with amazing depth.
Thank you so much, Gina. That is lovely.
Lovely Merril. That was me from the time I could read…always lost in a book. The best gift we can pass on to our children is the love of reading!
Thank you so much, Barbara. Yes, I agree!
It is good that it is both within and without.
Thank you, Frank. I think so, too! 🙂
When I read to my grandchildren I can see the doors of their minds opening. Lovely poem!
Thank you very much! It is cool to see the mind of children suddenly grasping something.
Can so relate to this…best place to be…inside a book.
Sorry–I JUST found this comment in my spam folder! Thank you for reading. I hope you didn’t think I was rude. I think many of us can relate to this. 🙂
No worries – it happens to us all. Thanks for replying.
I liked how you started this, Merril. Who would think of that poignant first line but you?
Then, you finished with a very important reminder about what lies within this young girl.
Aww–thank you, Robin. I just thought of the word glimmer, and then it all came from there. 🙂
This is so like you to find a word and build the poetic foundation from it, “glimmer” is such a pleasant sounding word and better than “a slim chance” or other ways of seeing the tiny bit of hope in something. , . as you do daily in your daily walks. ❤
Thank you very much, Robin. It’s funny, but I discovered that Lillian (whose prompt it was) also used the word glimmer.
This is such a coincidence, Merril! Thank you for sharing this with me. Glimmer reminds me of poetry which uses “in the gloaming.” Just so atmospheric and beautiful in its less usage.
Thank you again, Robin! 🙂
Really, really nice. Perfectly and simply captures that incredibly powerful feeling we get as children when we read and realise that reading is right and good and something that we will do for the rest of our lives.
Thank you so much! You have expressed that feeling very well.
Nice… love the picture! Words of truth without and within….
Thank you very much, Dwight!
And that is exactly what I try to make non-readers understand….
Wonderfully done!
Thank you, Dale! 🙂
You’ve captured the magic of story-telling and reading in this ‘once upon a’,Merril.
Thank you very much, Kim.
Enchanting, Merril! Beautiful brevity with a world of meaning.
Thank you very much, Rose!
That little girl was me….thanks, Merril 🙂
You’re welcome! Thank you for reading. 🙂
It’s always a pleasure to get lost in a book. Well penned 👍🏽
Thank you very much, Vivian!
For some reason this immediately brought to mind the Beatles song “Within You Without You”. Books and music both offer hope and illumination. (K)
Interesting. I haven’t thought of that song in a long time. Thank you!
It’s a good one, so I’m happy to be humming it.
Simply lovely a little girl lost in pages trans sported to a world outside and with in her 🙂
Thank you very much! 🙂
🙏