Every night before bedtime
I read to my son.
Every morning before school
I read to my son.

He loves words, especially
New words and funny words
He can share with his friends
At school.

The stories I read to him
Have good characters
And bad characters,
He lives in a world of
Good and bad.

The world around him
Is a world of storytellers,
Stories of nostalgia,
Stories of love.

But some stories speak
To good people in bad
Ways, these stories teach
Hate and hurt.

Good stories can break
Down walls, singing bold
And powerful songs, sharing
A symphony of empathy,
A lineage of love.

My son is still young,
He needs to fantasize
And imagine what different
Lives are like.

He is learning to be
Kind to everyone, to
Make art from stone,
To touch and smile.
As we read stories, we
Learn about our shared
Humanity, our proud lexicon,
Our identities, our open
Hearts full of love.

Please read me a story.


*© Lewis Bosworth, 12/2016