“You can’t read that!””
She yelled each time louder and louder,
grabbing the book from my tiny hands.
“You are not ready for something like that.”
She ripped the words from my hands.
She didn’t ask or seem to care,
My mom wanted me to read it.
I read three other books preparing me to read the book.
I planned a book club with my friends to talk about the book.
Or simply
I had questions.
I was confused.
I found that words made me think.
Words strengthen me.
Words help me feel less alone.
I visit the world with words.
I visit me with words.
She stole my book, not my words.
I told my mom.
She had words with her.
Next week, together we will have words together at the board meeting.
My friends said I won’t be alone; they will add their words.
My mom bought me the book.
But still, I wonder, how many other words have been taken away?
How much am I missing because of one person
stole the words, hid them away, and
worked so that I can’t find the key to unlock them.
Perhaps, we need to have a school -wide search, even nation-wide
search to release the words so that kids like me
can be free to read and read to be free.
(Share the words, act now to stop the banning of words, authors, illustrators, and learning.)
Kevin D. Cordi
September 22, 2024
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