I wanted to save the world,
help all the people learn
whatever they wanted
or
needed to learn
supply the words
to warm their souls
ease the despair sure to come
lessen the pain of living.
So I worked
and worked
hour after hour
day after day
making it easy to find the words
the words they needed
to learn
to live.
But
they knew what they wanted.
It wasn't words.
It wasn't thoughts.
It wasn't understanding.
Images
that's what they craved,
celluloid images
moving images
Hollywood
empty soul images
Horror
Murder
Sex
numbing mindless
flickers of imitation light
No thoughts required
no brain necessary
no effort needed
no growth desired.
And so did the Board...
Movies are learning experiences
they thunk out loud
car chases
vampires
murders
sex
violence
all in widescreen format
that's what we need
at this library.
Really.
Do we want to learn that?
Teach our children those lessons?
Will they soothe us
when we despair?
Comfort us
when we're in pain?
Teach us to love?
to learn?
to live
living...loving...writing
