Holiday Present

Leather cover full of promise and magic
Rough of texture beneath my skin
Pages crinkle between my fingers
Sheets thin and delicate
Smell of dust, of ancient, decaying paper
Words that dance before my eyes
Swirl around and make images fly
Through my mind in lightning speed
Make me cry in devastation
Or make me grin in anticipation
Or laugh until my sides hurt
Give me not a Barbie doll
Nor an airplane model
Nor a gadget of complication
(At least to you that much is true)
Nor sparkling gems and ostentatious jewelry
Nor hand-knitted sweaters
With embroidered motifs
No
The gift that makes this holiday true
That tells of stories otherwise forgotten
The only thing you can give me
That will give me heartfelt joy and delight
Is a book