I’m not dealing with the world today

It’s too big and I feel so small.

I’m building a fort of unread books

And in it I will crawl.

I’ll wrap myself in the warmth of tales

Both real and make believe

Enraptured in every single word

It’ll be tomorrow before I leave.

Hour by hour and page by page

I’ll be lost in mysteries and lore

And classics, plays and on and on

I’ll never stop wanting more

I’ll draw power from the words I read

For power all words do possess.

And the many ideas that I absorb

Will guide me like a compass.

Passages from books I read

Will stay with me all my life.

And comfort and embolden me

When my life is full of strife.

And when I need some extra space

When the world feels like its hell

I’ll always have my fort of books

To take shelter in for a day and dwell.