****a Tribute To Books! Poem by RAJ NANDY

****a Tribute To Books!

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A TRIBUTE TO BOOKS!
(LAMENTING THE LOSS OF READING HABIT!)
With the gradual progress of civilization;
With the spread of CDs, Videos, I-pods and
Computerization;
And non-stop music in my earphone and
Blackberry, -
Has also become for me a cause for worry!
Now reading habit has taken a back seat,
And books no longer present a delightful
treat!

So as I sit to lament this loss today,
I would like to present a few quotations
and say, -
Let us not turn away from books on the
shelves,
Where they gather dust with their backs all
turned,
Since they continue to remain as true friends
always!

But do be careful of the books you read,
As of the company a man may keep;
For your habit and character will also be
influenced, -
By the former as by the latter dear friends!
While reading you must remember this, -
Some books are to be tasted, others to be
swallowed,
And a few to be chewed and digested!
That’s what Sir Francis Bacon had once said!
“Intellectual passion dries out sensuality”, -
Said the great master Leonardo Da Vinci!
Books maintain our civilization’s continuity;
Without books history is silent, literature
dumb, -
Science crippled, and our thoughts and all
speculations become numb!
I agree with that Roman Cicero who had once
written and told, -
“A room without books - is like a body without
a soul! ”
And in conclusion I remember HW Longfellow,
Recalling his poetic lines both soft and mellow, -
“The love of learning, the sequestered nooks,
And all the sweet serenity of books! ”
-Raj Nandy
01 Jan 10
New Delhi
‘DEAR FRIENDS, THESE ARE MY THOUGHTS FOR
THE NEW YEAR, WHICH I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE
WITH YOU READERS WHO ARE DEAR! ’ – Raj Nandy

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Meggie Gultiano 02 January 2010

Well, thanks a lot, Raj, for this wonderful thoughts you shared with us. Your message is true..with this new gadgets we own now. But I still have with me books that will satisfy my soul, and keep me through. Try reading WHAT TO BRING..it is on the last page. Thank you Raj for a year of friendship and for being kind to me. Take care of you.. Hugs from here, Meggie

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Ramesh T A 02 January 2010

Nice to read wonderful quotations of great intellectuals to refresh mind through your poem!

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Ritty Patnaik 02 January 2010

dear raj.....this isa fantastic write, and i quite believe that, with the coming of t.v. pragrammes and computer, the ratio of reading books have come down.it is also my personal feeling, that, proper letter writing is also waning.reading, and writing, gets passed over to generations.this poem isa must read, for all, because of the message iit has.best wishes. rittypatnaik

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Mamta Agarwal 02 January 2010

I for one whole heartedly agree with you, and that's why I have been pleading with you to bring out an anthology of your poems. it shall never gather dust, rest assured. I love books, fresh out of press or off the chest or shelf. books are life long loyal companions, as I discovered to my solace when I was laid down two years back with spinal injury and a broken toe.. I am not at all tech savvy, so I enjoyed the poem. what I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU TO REASSURE YOU IS THAT SO DO BOTH MY CHILDREN AND ANIKA. Thanks Raj, a very happy and creative new year Mamta

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Samanyan Lakshminarayanan 14 January 2010

a lovely tribute sir...lovely quotes makes this poem a treasure...with the growth of technology todays children rarely lay their hands on books and even if they do it is only fiction...may be until they get their laptops..once they get that that's if...ipod has clarity if not for that it does not make sense to me

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Bob Blackwell 11 January 2010

My earliest memories are of shelves lined up on shelves, my father was a great reader; he used to say you are never alone when you have a good book to read. Today i love to sort of curl up with a book, somehow I cannot see myself doing that with a Blackberry. Great poem Raj, thanks for writing it. Regards Bob 10++

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Kesav Easwaran 09 January 2010

Glancing few lines over a web page is not equivalent to thoughtful book-reading...one acts only by remembering what one learnt or understood...true, internet and computers make knowledge readily available but learning through readng books only creates a permanant knowledge base good write...timely...10

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Mehta Hasmukh Amathalal 05 January 2010

“A room without books - is like a body withouta soul! ”...u are right sir.. i have habit of reading books and its collection..i visit Sunday market and collect many valuable books which affords me invaluable insight..they are my companions and contribute to writings too.Nice write up.....10

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Dr.subhendu Kar 02 January 2010

there you are, dear Raj and it is a fact by reality as we are losing touch of books by the advent of electronic gadgets and cyber space, it is heartening too, as our day-to day limited time being shared by different media of distractions, on the whole sharing with books seems to be narrowed down slowly to negation, it is really wonderful thought, i do agree with you, thanks for sharing

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