One Book...One Mind Poem by Jim Yerman

A book is just a book unless it's opened…
'til then we know not on what adventure it will take us.
Will it make us laugh…
or cry…
or shudder with emotion?
Will it reach into our souls…
Will it awake us?

There is one truth about a book that I can offer,
one certainty…
one fact I now propose:
a book has no capacity to stir our imagination…
no power to inspire…
when it is closed.

A mind is just a mind unless it's opened…
‘till then we know not on what adventure it will take us.
Will it show us how to love
to hope…
to dream?
Will it reach into our heart
Will it awake us?

There is one truth about a mind that I can offer,
one certainty…one fact I now propose…
a mind has no capacity for compassion
no power to inspire…
when it is closed.