Book banning is humankind's
Sad display of puny minds.
Narrowmindedness, indeed,
Spreads as does a nasty ****.

It's another way to control
What others can do, and on the whole,
Banning books is clearly a tool
Of harsh, dictatorial rule.

If you don't want your kids to peruse
A certain book, then you can choose
To tell your kids, "It's not for you."
But DON’T tell others what THEY can't do.

Some books headed for the bin
Have gay characters therein.
Making believe that gays aren't here
Will not make them disappear.

It's so absurd when people say
That books can turn their children gay.
Books can merely make it known
That gay youth are not alone

And that we are not all the same;
Therefore, no one should feel shame.
Families can be different from
One another. Rule of thumb:

Open minds, open hearts:
That's where loving acceptance starts.
Providing people with love and support
Is an idea we all should court.

And if a kid remarks, "Ye gads!
Why does Freddy have two dads?"
A book can show the reason why
And simply try to clarify.

If Hope, perchance, has TWO moms, we
Should not say "I disagree
With their lifestyle." No, we should
Say "LOVE is love, and LOVE is good."

Here's a thing to contemplate:
Books don't make us gay or straight.
Instead, they help us understand
Ourselves and thus should not be banned.

-by Bob B (8-25-24)