Solace In The Pages Poem by Linda Marie Van Tassell

I have always loved the smell of leather-bound books
with gilded edges gleaming gold for all to see,
pages creased in corners, wooden shelves, secret nooks,
and words that gathered soft a solace around me.

With words to give me wings, I would soar left to right
until the world and all its woes would fade away
until sun doused its flame and flickered into night
and the moon in me would dream until break of day.

I would quickly lose myself between the pages
flying fast as the winter wind or seasons' roll
to forget about my past and coming ages
until I settled safe within my sacred soul.

A once-fragrant rose is pressed into poetry.
A smiling picture is tucked safe away inside.
A lock of his hair and a letter left for me
appear in secret then squirrel away to hide.

I have always loved the wisdom of the sages
and the silence that speaks in volumes from a pen.
There is a solace to be found in the pages
in the lamplight when I am lonely - even then.