"The Librarians"

The librarians- if you’ve never looked-
are blurs of light and motion;
Standing guard among the books
Of every single notion

thought by man; and then writ down
To be passed on with time,
To others distant, future born;
The knowledge, reason, rhymes.

With always time to speak a word;
While never breaking stride;
They are the keepers of the keys
which open all doors wide.

The above illustration is Norman Rockwell's "Willie Gillis", pictured here in the fall of 1946, studying. Back from the war, he is going to college on the GI Bill, presumably on his way to a bright future. Willie Gillis is, of course, Norman Rockwell’s typical American male, whose image changed with the times. He was a personification of the era in which he lived. I used this illustration to depict the happiness which I derive from reading. And the poem is just my simple way of saying thank you to all of the librarians. They really do make a difference in my life.